BSSMZodiac Ethereal Stars
by Wild Nature
Summary: Twelve soldiers reborn to be separate. Can they finish their battles from before or will they once more go to the wrong path and make the same mistakes?
1. Chapter 1

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2006 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter One: Beginning

The two lone felines gazed down from the high branches of the heavy oak tree. The winds were soft with the summer air as the figure they watched passed below them.

One feline was pitch black, with yellow inner ears, yellow eyes, and yellow eye shadow. He had a yellow six pointed star at his chest, just under his neck. The other was medium brown, with black tipped feet, ears and tail, and his eyes were light blue. Also upon his chest in the same fashion was a yellow six pointed star.

"She is not what we expected," the darker feline commented. "She is something else entirely."

"Should we approach?" The other asked.

"No."

"Then let's report to Gemini."

"And Cancer?"

The more lighter cat frowned. "At her age, she wouldn't understand."

"We need to include her. She IS one of us."

"Blah blah blah..."

"POLLUX!" The black one dodged in front of him. "As your brother, I know you're upset that she is so young. If I could change that, I would. But she is a Zodiac soldier, no matter what age and you know that."

"Oh stuff it, Castor. Your mistress is the perfect age," Pollux nimbly jumped down. "Let's go tell the two of them."

Castor watched him leave with a sigh. They knew all too well why Castor was much too young but what happened could not be undone.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Usagi blinked as she looked around the campus. It was summertime and she had gone to America to spend that precious time with Mamoru. Her friends promised to come as soon as possible but then, it was rather expensive.

Usagi never planned on coming to America. She had enough trouble with the language but after the ordeal with Galaxia, she didn't want to leave Mamoru alone ever again.

So for the past year, she had buckled down and studied English like it was a vital liquid to sustain her and she finally grasped the majority of it. And with that satisfaction, she entered the foreign soils and came to see her beloved.

Who was currently talking with a young woman, a little younger than the now seventeen-year-old Usagi. The girl was moderately built, with snow white hair whose bangs were pulled from the left and tied loosely at the back of her shoulder. The hair fell down neatly to her hips. It looked almost like soft silk.

She talked quietly and lightly to Mamoru about something and Usagi, even from a distance, noticed the cool gray eyes that seemed to be almost misty.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi called out, now momentarily forgetting the girl as she ran to her Mamoru.

"Usako! I was wondering when you'd get here!" He laughed.

Between them, they spoke in Japanese but the girl watched with a smile, almost as if she understood just what they said.

"Arin, this is Usagi, my fiance," Mamoru said very proudly.

"How do you do, I am Arin Galahad," Arin smiled as she offered her hand.

Usagi took it and they shook. Usagi was surprised by the strength in the girl's hand.

"I'm Usagi Tsukino, very nice to meet you," Usagi spoke lightly in English, although her accent was easy to pick up.

"She's in my English class where we read classics," Mamoru said, wrapping his arm around Usagi.

"Yes, well, it was nice talking to you Mamoru. Perhaps we'll meet again, Usagi," And with that, she turned and walked off at a leisurely pace.

"She's nice," Usagi commented.

"Yes but she seems as if..." Mamoru paused. "Never mind, let's go get a bite to eat, huh?"

"Mamo-chan, as long as we're together, I'll go anywhere."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Castor paused as he sniffed the air. They were close to home but he thought he felt something so dangerously familiar but it was gone now, as if it was merely a shadow.

"Hurry up!" Pollux said coldly. "Galena probably is having a heart attack."

"You shouldn't speak so harshly of her." Castor snorted. "You end up hurting her feelings more than you help her."

"Listen, I'll train her my way, you train Demi your way."

"You need to be compassionate!"

"How can I be compassionate when she no longer a part of me!?" Pollux turned to his brother. "We took a oath and we failed at that. Why should we drag them into this! Can't we find..."

"You know there are no other people! This is their war, their battle, their suffering. We can alleviate their pains at least."

"How can you be so sure all the time?" Pollux grumbled to himself. He failed to see the running figure of his mistress coming at him at full speed.

"Keep your ground," He heard Castor whisper before the other feline jumped gracefully out of the way.

"Galena!!" Pollux sucked himself to the ground but she easily tossed him up into her arms.

"Polly! I was so worried!" Galena, at the young age of ten, was a wild child at heart. She wore her brunette curls into a half ponytail, the rest of the twirls going evenly to her shoulders. Her bangs were parted slightly to the left. Her hair was so curly, it covered her ears as well.

She was light peach skinned, with light chocolate eyes that were often full of mirth and cheer. She was shorter than most children and slightly overweight but this never seemed to bother her.

"Where did you go?" She began in that stern motherly voice, as she struggled to keep him from falling. "I was so scared! What if a monster got to you?"

'Monster she says,' Pollux thought with a sigh. "I'm fine. I went for a walk."

"You need to tell me!"

"I don't have to tell you anything!" Pollux began to struggle in earnest. "Let me go child!"

She promptly dropped him, her eyes growing huge and watery.

"Gally.." Pollux began.

"I know I'm little! But you don't have to treat me different," She ran sobbing back inside.

"Heartless bastard," Castor said from the side, on the porch canister.

"Bug off, you pussy!"

"I told you..."

"Just SHUT UP!" Pollux went around the back and Castor let him go. It was, after all, hard, to find the one that you loved to be so different.

Castor turned his head slightly as he watched Mr. Helen leave with a bag. The man was around his forties, with black hair that was graying at the roots and with blue eyes that was like the evening skies before the sun completely faded from view. He wasn't well taken care off, with a pronounced potbelly but his face was still smooth and beautiful.

Mrs. Helen followed as she laughed and whispered something to her husband. A slight woman, also in her forties, she still looked as young as her early thirties, due to her slight frame and small stature. She had brunette curls, tied back completely into a ponytail that trailed to her mid-back. She had light brown eyes, the same as her youngest daughter, Galena.

"So when do you think you'll be back?" Mrs. Helen asked after whispering to him. She smiled brightly and happily, although she didn't want him to be gone TOO long.

"Around two, three days tops," Mr. Helen kissed her lightly. "I'll be as quick as possible. But if you need help, Demi's here."

"Yes but she seems to be so busy..."

'You don't know the half of that,' Castor wove between the two figures and as he went upstairs, he heard the roar of a engine as it blared out into fading.

"Demi?" He called out and found his mistress snoozing lightly in her bed. Her face was peaceful and he merely stared, his eyes darkening.

"Oh, Demi..." He got as close as possible but feared to jump as he did not to awaken her. "This life is peaceful. Why should we involve you?"

His head fell down, his tail tucking under his limbs as he tried to clear his head of his darkening thoughts.

"Castor..." Demi, still asleep, whispered his name, as if she knew he was here.

"Demi..." He jumped up onto the bed and her eyes opened instantly as she yawned. He got a good sight of her tonsils in that action, he noted with a smirk.

"Nice nap?" He asked brightly.

"I dreamt again of the stars..." Demi struggled up. "I wish I could remember more of it..."

"It's best to forget it for now," Castor said, still brightly but his voice wavered just ever so slightly.

Demi stood up, still dressed in dark blue jeans, a yellow t-shirt adorned with gold flower outlines. Her hair was completely down, though, the brunette locks, more wavy than curly, falling down to just to barely touch her hips. She had parted bangs in the middle but these were merely gravitated downward, not brushed up into a heart shape. Her eyes were the same blue as her father, if only a few shades lighter.

The girl was average, to say at the least. She was averaged height, averaged weight, and averaged looks, with the normal features of a female that was natural. Not too small, not too large, as if she could just be any other woman in the natural world.

What set her apart though was of the powers that be, of the constellation Gemini that called to her.

Not that she ever wanted to answer in the first place. She felt stifled for some reason, caught in a dangerous loop that she could not explain. And watching Castor, even now, she knew that he was holding something from her. She wasn't sure if he was trying to protect her or rather, maybe she was to learn of it on her own. She didn't know.

"Where's Gally?" Demi asked lightly, taking a stiff brush to tame her hair into two low riding pigtails.

"Oh, somewhere off sobbing again," Castor sighed.

Demi raised an eyebrow. "Why is Pollux so angry?"

Castor knew how to answer that. After all, it was one of the first questions Demi had ever asked him. "He's bitter, remember? What he remembers conflicts with what he sees."

"And what of me? Do you see something that makes you bitter?"

"No, it makes me sad."

Demi looked at her reflection, hurt welling inside of her. She thought she shouldn't care but that single line stung more than when her crush of last year told her that there was no way in hell he'd go out with her.

"Demi?" Her mother, Mrs. Helen, called out from below. "Could you go to the 7-11 for me?"

"For what?" She shouted back but she didn't get a response. "Sure, why not? I can get me some Diet Pepsi!"

"Don't you have that can set?" Castor tried to ask but she merely walked over him and pranced out.

"Here," Mrs. Helen gave her a twenty. "Pick up some milk, will you?"

"Can I get a..."

"Drink? Absolutely. Oh, and take Gally, will you? She seems upset again."

"Okay! We'll get her some candy."

"Not too much. She'll go jumping off the walls. Oh! Well, also get some cat food. I noticed you're all out."

"I just got some the other day. It's just in my room."

"Really? Oh well, never mind then," Mrs. Helen turned slightly away. "Gally! Demi and you are going to the store!"

There was absolute silence before Galena came tearing in. "Can I get a candy bar?" She asked excitedly.

"Only one," her mother said sternly.

"And some soda pop?" Galena looked hopefully.

"All right, all right," Her mother wove her hand through the soft locks of her youngest daughter. "Just be sure to help carry things, okay?"

"We'll be back soon," Demi promised as she gestured for Galena to follow.

As they walked, Galena sang off key but happily nonetheless. "Candy, candy, gonna get me candy! Candy, candy, gonna taste so sweet!"

They were nearing the store as it was only a few blocks away when two figures passed them by. One was a blonde with her hair up in buns and the other was a man, with black hair. Each of them looked slightly Asian.

And from them, Demi felt a spark. It caused her to pause and turn as also the blonde did so.

"Oh..." Demi flushed at the blue eyes. They looked familiar, as if she saw them before. But Galena tugged at her in earnest.

"We're so close!" Galena panted. "Come on! Come on!"

Demi shrugged off the feeling of familiarity and went on her way.

And above, as the sun continued to fall, a single star was seen shooting high above.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And we're following because...?" Pollux left that purposely open, with a raised eyebrow to his brother.

"We need to be with them," Castor saw the two stop as the other two strangers passed them by.

"It's that blondie," Pollux commented.

"Those two...I know them from somewhere.."

It wasn't until a very black feline seem to catch up to them. "Holy hell, who is that foxy feline?" Pollux grinned ferally. "What I wouldn't give to.."

"Will you shut up!" Castor nearly shouted. They continued on their way as the two neared the group.

The blonde said something in Japanese as she knelt down to pet Pollux. Pollux merely purred as Castor frowned, eying the feline. It was now clear she was a dark violet, almost black but not quite. Her eyes were a deep red, almost like fire. And she looked wise, that was what surprised him. As if she were more human than feline.

"Usagi," The tall man murmured.

The black feline jumped down easily from her mistress.

"Luna?"

The feline, Luna tilted her head as she stared right into Castor's eyes.

"Ca...stor?" She questioned almost hesitantly.

Castor was not exactly listening. He was staring at the yellow crescent moon, lost in a memory.

"They should be annihilated!" Shadowed figures argued among themselves.

"They have done terrible things!" More agreed.

"But they had orders," Another spoke.

"Yes, they were misled but we must do something," the voice was female but all Castor remembered was of that marking upon the forehead, of a glittering yellow crescent moon. "It is my grave decision...I am truly sorry..."

"HOLY HELL! YOU TALK!" Pollux was heard exclaiming.

Castor's eyes widened. "Oh, well, gee Pollux, can't keep quiet, now can we?" Castor hissed.

"You are Castor!" Luna blinked before a very dark frown appeared. "Why does such a creature have a chance to be reborn?"

Castor's smile was as dark as her frown. "Well, it's nice to know that forgiveness is verified."

"And I suppose your foul senshi are still around?" Luna bit out.

"You treacherous little.. My warriors have more than made up for their sins!" Castor bit out angrily. "I see that your queen is forgiving but you are nothing but lies!"

At that, Luna flushed.

"Ah...Luna?" The one called Usagi knelt down. "Who are you Castor?" She asked in English.

Castor stared at those eyes and saw peace and love in them only. "You who do not remember.. It is best that you forget us. We do not need to know each other."

With that, he nodded to Pollux and retreated the way they had come.

"What of the girls?" Pollux questioned.

"Shuu..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demi hummed as she took a fat free milk carton.

"Blah! I wanna get two percent!" Galena said.

"This is healthier!" Demi answered. "Besides, it's still milk!"

Galena merely made that same blah face as she stuck out her tongue in disgust.

"Well, what candy..."

"CANDY!" Galena tore off down the candy aisle and studied in earnest. "I wanna get a Musketeer!"

"Really?"

"No wait! Reeses!"

"Gally..." Demi said warningly.

"Oh! Oh! Poppables!" She snatched up the Musketeer bag with a squeal. "Yummy!"

Demi sighed before eyeing the Kitkat bars herself. She slyly took the large sized one and made her way to the paying counter.

"Will that be all?" The man asked in a rather monotone voice.

"Yes, thank you," Demi received her change that she then pocketed. "Come on Gally!"

Gally took the bag with the candy, being the most lightest. They exited and Demi frowned.

"Gally..." Galena wasn't paying attention as she skipped down the way. To the far front she saw those same two people talking to each other. "Ewww... they're all kissy kissy!"

"GALLY!" Galena saw the rather large snake wove its way over to her and she screamed.

"Hurry!" Demi pressed her sister behind her as the snake reformed into some semblance of a man.

"Who..who are you?" Demi asked shakily.

It's eyes opened, first completely yellow before black slits seemed to grow out to stare darkly at the two shaking figures. It let out a low hiss, and a rattler seemed to be heard.

"Leave us alone!" Demi shouted, more braver than she felt.

"You evil thing! You get away from those girls!" A figure, with blonde hair and a strange fuku appeared to the side. She pointed weapon of some sort, a tier most likely, at the monster. "In the name of the Moon, you will be punished!"

It hissed before reverting back into a snake but the snake began to multiple and this merged into a very, very, VERY large snake.

"Oh...dear god.." Demi was choking on her breath. Snakes normally crept her out even though she'd never had a bad experience but this, this was the WORST.

"Demi.." Galena tugged at the sleeve of her sister and the two disappeared behind the store, as if for safety.

Eternal Sailor Moon was glad that they did so. Tuxedo Kamen landed next to her as the snake hissed angrily.

"That's rather impressive.." Tuxedo Kamen took one of his trademarked roses and threw it to see it the snake would flinch. It hissed only louder and opened its mouth and spit.  
The two warriors avoided the black goo and watched it sizzle as it bore a hole right into the cement.

"We need to defeat it!" Sailor Moon prepared an attack.

"Gemini Dual Winds!" Two colliding winds surged as one as it wrapped around the snake, causing damage.

The two others turned and saw two very different senshi.

"Gemini! Cancer!" Luna cried out angrily.

"I am the Zodiac senshi of the constellation of the Twins, Sailor Gemini! In the name of the Earth and Gemini, be prepared to be dissipated!"

Her fuku was different even from the fellow Zodiac senshi next to her. The girl had no tiara, merely the etched sign of Gemini and no earrings. Her choker was a crisscrossing set, the top half light blue and the bottom yellow. At its meeting point was a five pointed star. The collar was light blue with a thin yellow outline and frills seem to expose themselves. Her brooch was the only thing there, she had no front or back bow. Her heart shaped brooch was light blue with three round gems at each lower side and a yellow five pointed star at its center. The bodice was white and complete as at her waist was a thick unattached belt that narrowed into the center to connect to a star gem. The belt was gold with yellow straps on the top and bottom.

Her sleeves were light blue and loose, attached to a metal yellow band that had a gold dots along the middle inside and gold bottom edge. Her skirt was only one layer and light blue as well. Her boots went to her knees, and from her ankle to the knee was light blue. But there was a yellow strap at the ankle and top of the edge. At the top, above the yellow strap was a frill.

"I am the Zodiac senshi of the constellation of the Crab, Sailor Cancer! In the name of Earth and Cancer, I will bring protection!"

Sailor Cancer's fuku was not as detailed. She too bore the sign of her constellation and her choker was also the same as Sailor Gemini only the top was pale rose and the bottom gray. Her collar was gray with a pale rose outlined, her brooch was heart shaped and gray, with the same yellow star in its center and three round gems at each lower side. Her bodice was separated by gray beads at the bottom of her breasts, and the top of the fuku was fashioned as if it were a pale rose shirt, with sleeves at each shoulder. This sleeve had a secondary level of sleeves underneath, colored gray. The lower half of the fuku was a set of dual skirts, the top pale rose and the bottom gray.

She hand no gloves, earrings, or bows, but her boots went to her knees, the edges curling in with outlined curls, forming a top edge formed like the top of a heart. These boots were gray as well and had no high heel to them.

The snake, though visibly hurt, again bared it's fangs and spit harder.

"Cancer Water Barrier!" By calling upon water, Cancer created a large shield that covered all of the group. The black poison was seen dragging downward the shield, melting into useless matter.

"Who are you?" Gemini demanded as she faced the snake. "This doesn't concern you."

"But those girls.." Sailor Moon began.

"Gemini Dual Winds!" Gemini dodged out of the barrier to attack viciously.

"Gemini!" Cancer faltered.

"Keep the shield up!" Gemini ordered and Cancer gritted her teeth.

"You foul thing! How dare you return," Gemini sneered.

"You...foolsss...I will dessstroy you all..." The snake actually spoke, the words nearly mangled though. "We have not finisssh what we ssstarted.."

"I'm finishing it now!" Gemini shouted. The beast reared up, looming over her. Gemini tried to call upon a attack but she was visibly frightened. It's mouth opened, readying an attack.

"GEMINI!" Cancer dropped the barrier completely. "Cancer Traveling Shield!" This time, the item formed as she crooked her arm and a white transparent shield appeared, the sign of Cancer glowing upon it. She held it up in time as the snake spit once more.

But this time, the barrier wasn't strong enough. It merely hindered the attack to do at least half the damage and Cancer wailed as her legs were singed.  
"GALLY!!" Gemini broke out of her fear as her sister passed out. As Gemini moved to attack, Cancer did indeed unhenshin into Galena. "You'll pay!"

"Gemini Space Airstreams!" She formed two large stars in her fists that as she threw, became a set of actual space winds. The snake cried out as it became nearly headless.

"Sailor Moon!" Luna called out.

"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Sailor Moon used her attack with gusto and the snake turned to dust.

"Gally!" Gemini gently picked up her sister, her eyes worried.

"Let me see," Sailor Moon knelt down and studied the legs. "They might leave a bad burn.."

"What am I supposed to do?" Gemini whimpered tearfully.

Sailor Moon was quiet.  
"NO! Sailor Moon," Luna began but Sailor Moon ignored her as she pulled up her Eternal Tier.

"Moon Healing Escalation.." Just a whisper and the wounds began to close. Sailor Moon smiled. "There might be slight scars but she should be fine."

"Thank you.."

"GEMINI!" Castor appeared. "Get away from them!"

"But.."

"This does not concern you! Do you not understand? This is their fight!" Castor stared hard at the Moon senshi.

"Fine," Luna said coldly. "Let you all perish then, I suppose?"

Gemini hurriedly grasped the enraged feline. "Not now, not like this," she pleaded and he stilled.

"We will meet again, Sailor Moon, if you stick around. If you're anything like your guide, it would be for the best." Gemini untransformed as she picked up the thrown bags. Galena struggled up as she shyly smiled at Sailor Moon.

"Thank you, Sailor Moon," Galena's eyes watered. "We are sorry for troubling you." The two then walked away slowly, both of their heads hung low, as if in shame.

"Luna.." Sailor Moon untransformed, her fingers gripping her brooch. "We need the others here."

"WHAT?"

As the night began to fall, Galena went straight to bed, still so exhausted. Demi wasn't talking to Castor so he turned to the only one he could.

"Why are they here?" He asked, Pollux still curled up.

"Who? That Moon senshi? Who is she again?"

"She..She is..." Castor frowned. "I can't remember but Luna, she is rather familiar."

"Is she of our own kind.."

"Pollux... were we always feline?"

"I can't remember..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Usagi waited as the phone dialed. There was only one person she wanted to call at that moment. Luna was still rather agitated as Usagi thought of the many questions that ran through her. But the phone continued to ring, as if the person on the other side did not want to pick up.

"Setsuna... Do you know these Zodiac stars? What could they have done so terrible that we would have to hate them? I can see their pain... Please, Setsuna.. pick up, I beg you.." Usagi felt tears in her eyes. Why did she feel as if she felt pity and sadness for these two soldiers?

"Moshi moshi," Setsuna's voice came in clear but without a bright tone.

"Setsuna... we need to meet.. all of us," Usagi said tiredly.

"I understand..."

And in that pause, Usagi knew that Setsuna knew what had been and for just a moment, that welling of anguish welled up inside the princess.

"Usagi..." And with that single voice of gentleness, it broke to pieces and she sobbed, unknowing of this pain but unable to escape it. 


	2. Chapter 2

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2006 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Two: Wild

Galena was quiet as her parents drove down the dirt road. She frowned as hard as possible and glowered each time one of her parents turned around.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Mrs. Helen whispered.

"She needs to be around kids, Allie," Mr. Helen answered. "Demi's already trying to find a part time job and she won't be able to spend that much time with Gally. Besides, it's a day program. She'll come home each night."

The car came to a stop and Mr. and Mrs. Helen exited. Mr. Helen peered at Galena who was continuing to glare.

"Hello and welcome to the Happy Day camp!" A voice rang out. It was feminine but held a strange male aftereffect. They turned and faced a young girl, for if it weren't for the somewhat revealing t-shirt, they wouldn't have known that, as she smiled brightly.

She had pale yellow hair, spiked up as she wore a brown head band, tufts of hair symbolizing bangs. Her skin was pale, despite being outside, and her eyes were a deep brown.

They also noted that she was more taller than most girls and more meaty as well.

"I'm Yale Angus, at your service! Might I be askin' where the young un' is?" Yale grinned, her teeth damn near perfect.

"Ah, she's still in the car," Mrs. Helen opened it and gestured but the little girl merely tightened her grip on the plush seat. "Come on, it'll just be for today!"

"I don't wanna!!!"

"Hey, hey, no way to be talking to ya ma, now you scoot on out and head on up. We'll be having us a lots of fun, now!" Yale beamed. Galena peered at her before climbing out.

"You talk funny," Galena piped up.

"GALLY!"

"Nah, it's all right, ma'am. I get that all the time. Now, what's your name squirt?"

"I'm not a squirt!"

"Galena," Mr. Helen said hurriedly. "She's here for a trial basis."

"Of course, sir. We'll be sure to take good care of ya rascal!"

She waved to the two figures as Mrs. Helen gave Galena a bag, kissed her goodbye and they sped off.

"So what'cha wanna do now?" Yale began.

"You talk like a guy."

Yale blinked. "My, ain't ya a smart one. But come on, toots, let's get us moving. Wanna go swimming."

"I wanna go home," Galena tried to glare at the tall girl but the smile wrapped around the other's face was rather contagious.

"So...?" Yale raised an eyebrow.

"I guess it'd be nice to swim.."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demi had found a job at the nearby Safeway. She hadn't expected to get a job so soon but hey, now she'd have money.

"And will that be all for you..." She trailed off as Mamoru stared at her. "Oh, well, great."

"No thank you. I have all that I need," He smiled as charming as possible.

"You should stop that," She bit out, looking down as she worked the register. "You'll break your girl's heart." She turned back. "There you go, SIR, your change."

Mamoru said nothing but he did raise an eyebrow.

Demi only worked a partial shift, always in the afternoon. She got off around six and packed her things, little as it was. She left the building from the front and she hummed to herself.

'It's been almost a week since that incident...' She found herself thinking. 'One lonely week. Who was she? And who was he? And why are we being bothered with snakes?!' She shivered. "Augh! Snakes are the worst creatures EVER!"

She turned a corner and studied the skies. "Poor Gally. Where did my parents get the idea of day camp? She'd be awfully lonely.."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I had so much fun!" Galena cheered, Yale following looked a bit tired.

"I never knew a kid could be so energetic. Especially for the ENTIRE day..." Yale sighed as she wove her hand through her cropped hair.

"You wanna come over sometime?" Galena asked brightly.

Yale blinked. "Err... Aren't I a little too old for ya?"

"Nope! You're my friend!" Galena gave her best 'won't you, please?' face, her lower lip trembling.

"Well..." Yale sighed. "Sure, why not?"

Her parents came up then, Mr. and Mrs. Helen talking harshly about something but they stopped as soon as Galena came into view. "Hi honey!" Mrs. Helen smiled.

"Hi mommy! Daddy! Can Yale come over tomorrow?"

"Aya..." Yale rolled her eyes. "Sure work fast, don'cha squeak?"

"Oh well..." Mrs. Helen flushed. "We had gone to talk to the administration to see if she's applicable for a fee waiver but sadly..."

"I understand. If I could, I'd be leaving ma-self," Yale grinned. "But Gally here just wanted to have me spend some time with her."

"Well.." Mrs. Helen thought for a moment. "Demi's around your age. I'm sure you'd get along. Sure, come by sometime tomorrow if you'd like."

"Yea!!" Galena did a little gig as Yale burst out laughing.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demi had gone home and found a note by her parents stating they were picking up Galena. She noted the single letter and she picked it up. It was addressed to her but it only had her name and nothing more.

She opened it and noted the slight strain of writing. "English must not be their forte... Oh dear god, is this from who I think it is?!"

She hurried upstairs where the two felines rested comfortably until she thrust the letter at Castor's face.

Castor blinked as he read the letter. "Dear Gemini, we have decided to meet face to face..." He skipped the few lines, reading in silence. "For we would like to work as a team...blah blah blah... We all share the same heart...la de da...Oh for crying out loud, toss it out!"

"But they wanted to meet us..."

"One, we cannot trust them; secondly, there are only two, count'em, two of you yet discovered! We'd be outnumbered!"

"What? You think they want to duke us out? Come on, the cat was harsh but you know, you act just as bad!"

"As your guide..."

"And as your MISTRESS, I tell you we are going to meet them tomorrow!" She snatched the paper up. "I need to at least thank her for healing Gally."

"FINE! Be sure to note that I'm NOT coming!" He shouted as he took off, his tail flitting dangerously.

"Pollux!" Demi turned to the other feline. He was in a quandary as who to follow. "Can't you talk some sense into him?"

"You have to see it from his part. He remembers a little more than me and he says that we had to pay for something awful. He doesn't want this life to end up the same so he wants to make sure you and all the others don't have to be punished again."

"Do you know what happened?" Demi asked finally.

"I...don't."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Who is coming over?" Demi asked Galena the next morning, as the young girl pranced around. "And did you have any SUGAR this morning? MOM! Did she get into your coffee again?"

"WHAT?" Mrs. Helen frowned as she peeked in. "No, she's just happy hyper."

"Great..." Demi sighed. She had risen early, being unable to sleep much the night before. For some reason, the darkness was frightening her.

"Me, a sixteen year old, scared of the dark? God, I must be sad..."

The doorbell rang and Gally tore off with a shriek. She struggled with the locks with gusto, but her enthusiasm caused her fingers to become clumsy.

"DEMII!!!" Galena wailed.

"Here, here..." She opened it and stared right into Yale's chest. "Gee.. You're tall."

"She's like a guy, huh?" Galena asked.

"GALLY!" Demi turned pale. "Don't be so rude!!"

"It's all right, dahlin'. I get that all the time," Yale crooned. "Howdy my little rugrat. Ready for some fun?"

"Yea!" Galena flung the door open as she dove out at breakneck speed. "Let's go!"

"Now wait a minute!" Demi turned around. "I'm taking off with Gally. We'll be home soon!"

"Be safe!" Mrs. Helen was heard shouting.

"So..." Demi smiled shyly at Yale.

"Allow me the honor, missus. Ma name is Yale Angus. I do some work at the Happy Day campsite."

"Oh.. I'm Demi Helen. I work at Safeway, well, I just started two days ago..."

"Must be nice," Yale turned slightly, signaling for her to go ahead.

Galena danced as she moved down the sideway. "She was pretty insistent we get together, ya know? Tell ya the truth, she and you are a bit familiar. Have we meet, do you wonder?"

"It is strange..." Demi's eyes moved downward to the bracelet. She stopped instantly. "Yale...where'd you get that?"

"Oh, this ol' thing? My ma gave it to me. Said it'd make me more girlie, she did. See?" She held up the hand with the bracelet. "It's got the sign of Capricorn as a gem. Ain't it pretty?"

Demi reached into her pocket and silently offered her own similar bracelet. With the same silver chain, the sign of Gemini as a gem glittered in the early sunlight. "Do you know what it's for?"

Yale looked away. "Maybe, maybe not..."

Demi frowned. "I need a straight answer."

"...Yes..."

"So you're..."

"I am Sailor Capricorn, yes."

And ahead, Galena had reached the approaching group. She tilted her head at the familiar blonde before running up to her.

"Hi!" Galena beamed up at Usagi.

"Hello, how are you?" Usagi asked politely.

"I'm fine!" She flopped down to the ground and offered her legs. "Not a scratch.. well, 'cept this one cause I fell yesterday. I went swimming in a lake! Did you ever do that? You have really pretty hair but the balls look like dog ears!"

"Dog... ears?" The raven haired smirked, and held her head away.

"REI! What's so funny?" Usagi demanded.

"Is your sister around?" Mamoru asked quietly.

"Galena, get over here." Demi frowned. "I was going to come, you know."

"Go? Go where?" Demi ignored Galena for the moment.

"I know. But we thought it'd be easier if we went on your own terms."

"Well, from what Castor thinks, I have no terms.." Demi looked away with a sigh. "Anyways..."

"DEMIII!" Galena was tugging the sleeve with energy and Yale gently pulled her back before going to the front.

"What ya'll want, now?" She quipped. "We ain't got no prob with you folks so why not leave us be?"

"Who are you?" One of them asked. Yale wasn't so sure who it was.

"Ma name is Yale Angus. I'd be thinking ya all be senshi. Demi here," She thumbed back lightly. "Was talkin' about ya folks. But we Zodiacs are different then you all and you gotta give us our props, ya know?"

"We just wanted to meet you all," Usagi said honestly.

"You that moon warrior, huh?" Yale blinked. "For some reason, I feel like bowing but seeing as we are all equals, let me tell you that we're all separated now."

"Why?" The blue haired, Ami, asked.

Yale opened her mouth but shut it.

"We don't know," Gemini answered honestly. "We don't remember anything. All we know is that we have to be separate."

"Setsuna?" Usagi looked back at the dark skinned woman.

"We should find somewhere to talk," Setsuna said carefully.

"Party! Party! Party!" Galena shouted as she ran around Demi and Yale. "Let's go have fun!"

"Gally! Wait!" Demi went chasing after her.

"Was that what you really wanted?" Yale asked, watching the two sisters chase each other. "I mean, we have different lives. Maybe we ain't supposed to do this."

Usagi smiled. "I want to be friends, Yale. We all do."

"Somehow, I can only believe in you," Yale turned and stared back with strong emotions scattered across her face. "Your fellow warriors are another case. Perhaps you should listen to them."

Usagi looked behind them and saw the uneasiness. Usagi bit her lip before frowning. "Come on guys!" She spoke in Japanese. "We need to at least TALK!"

"Usagi, I trust your judgment but Luna, well, she was so adamant..." Makoto trailed off.

"Usagi, just lead the way," Setsuna said gently.

"I'm back!" Demi called out. Mrs. Helen stuck her head out and gaped at the rather large group.

"These are some friends..." Demi called out weakly this time as her mother stared down at her.

"Well, there's room in the back!" She called out before ducking back in.

"Phew..."

"She's a nice ma. Mine ain't so great. She thinks I gotta be a ol' girlie girl."

"Well, you seem fine the way you are..." Demi said hesitantly.

"I know what'cha thinking and yea..." She turned around slightly as she moved forward. "I'd be the kind that be liking girls."

Demi tilted her head. "So? Should that bother me?"

"Just be letting you a warning. I'm the kind that likes to flirt or says my big bro."

"You get along?"

"Better than my parents. He knows what I am and he loves me but my parents..." She trailed off.

"Party, party, partieee!!!!" Galena came to a stop. "You want me to get Polly?" She asked Usagi eagerly.

"I don't think they'd be that interested..." Demi began.

"Luna!" A voice, possibly Minako's, echoed.

Luna wove through the group and sat in front of Usagi. She gave a careful sigh as Artemis joined her.

"Well, we're here. Now what?" Luna asked, trying very hard to be civil.

"What do you have against us?" Demi knelt down. "Are we really all that bad?"

Luna looked up and stared into the blue eyes. She tried to speak but her voice caught. "Maybe... but not this lifetime at least..." She answered hesitantly.

"Well, well, if it isn't the pretty moon kitty," Castor hopped down. "You better not be insulting my warrior!"

"What about me?" Galena asked instantly.

"Warriors," He corrected.

"Awww, how cute!"

Castor turned pale. "Who the hell are you!?"

"Ma name is Yale Angus. I'd be Sailor Capricorn," She offered the bracelet.

"Well...fine, it's still warriors..."

"Blah blah blah..." Pollux lay on the back porch, soaking in the sunlight. "Come on people and sit!"

"Polly!!"

"Hey! Wait a..." Pollux frowned as Galena tugged him into her arms. "Great..." He wheezed.

"I'll get us some blankets to sit on," She entered and found her mother making sandwiches. "Mom, you didn't..."

"I know, I know but they're so many and I know how you younger generations are so I decided to skip the bush and make something."

Demi momentarily hugged her mother. She moved to leave when her mother spoke up.

"Demi...If you had a secret, you'd tell me, right?"

Demi frowned. "Sure, of course. Why?"

"No reason. I just want you to know that you can trust your mother."

"What about dad?"

"Oh sure! Him too!"

Demi laughed as she went to the linen closet. she pulled out around four blankets and went back outside.

The others helped out as the blankets spread out to become a soft carpet.

"My mom is making sandwiches. I hope you don't mind," Demi smiled.

"Ohh! I AM hungry," Usagi smiled back. The group settled down, the others still separate from the three Zodiac Senshi.

"How to begin..." Demi murmured.

"For one, how did you awaken?" Haruka asked.

"Oh...Well, it was kinda a dream sequence..." Demi blinked. "I can't really remember but I woke up and my bracelet was on the drawer next to my bed."

"Hmm.. And you don't remember anything of your previous life?" Setsuna asked.

"How can I be sure of living something before this?" Demi tilted her head at the older woman. She was friendly but she was rather...distant.

"I remember hearing of you but not like this..." Setsuna looked away.

"Well?" Yale said finally. "Don't leave us hanging!"

"You were the exiled soldiers of lore.." Setsuna said finally, carefully. "I do not know what exactly what transpired but one of you became corrupted and led you astray."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Demi cried out.

"It means that you failed in your mission," Castor answered. "You took orders as needed but somewhere along the way, those orders drew you to darkness."

"So what happened?" Yale asked quietly.

"We were punished..." They turned to Galena. "We were separated...we aren't one anymore..." Galena began to sniffle. "It hurts...it really hurts..."

"Gally..." Demi pulled her sister close. She too felt that pain, as if it transferred from Galena to her. It, just for the moment, felt as if they connected on some higher level but it faded instantly as the shadow of their mother appeared.

Who was currently studying the two other cats. "I see they also have markings. Do you think they're related?"

"Oh, no, they're not. These two are husband and wife," Usagi said honestly.

Mrs. Helen blinked. "So tell me, how did you all meet?"

"A few days ago, Mom...I guess I forgot to tell you..." Demi smiled weakly.

Mrs. Helen stared hard at the two cats still. "I can't take it anymore!" She said finally, dropping the plate. "Demi, you said you'd tell me your secrets, right?"

"Ah.. mom, please not..."

"I know they talk."

"W...What?" Demi flushed. "Who, mom?"

"Castor and Pollux!" She gestured to the two felines. "And do these do as well?"

Luna moved up in a graceful movement. "You're quick on your feet but it'd be best...to just forget..." As Luna said that, her crescent moon began to glow.

"NO!" Demi picked up Luna, breaking the coming trance. Mrs. Helen frowned. "Please, I want her to know so don't."

"You could be putting her into danger!" Artemis said earnestly.

"HAH!" Mrs. Helen grinned. "Danger? I've had two kids by natural birth, grew up on a farm with a bunch of brothers, and I was said not to live over ten and yet I am! You think I'd be some weakling? Ho ho ho ho!"

"You sound like Santa Claus, mommy," Galena commented.

"Anyways, I just needed to get that out of my system. If you need a drink or more food, come find me." She continued to laugh as 'Santa Claus', going back inside.

"She's weird..." Yale said finally. Demi glared at Castor.

"It's because you can't shut up!"

"What?! As if! It's all YOUR fault!" Castor bit out.

"Oh stuff it you love birds!" Pollux shouted.

"WE ARE NOT LOVE BIRDS!"

Pollux blocked his ears. "Ow ow ow... My poor delicate ears!"

"Awww! Poor Polly! Let me kiss them!"

"Oh no you don't!" Pollux took off running as Galena laughed.

"Well, since there's so few of you, I think we should work together. Do you know who the enemy is?" Usagi asked.

Demi frowned. "No but it's always some kind of snake. It's really creepy."

"Snakes?" Minako blanched. "Ewww.."

"Ah, snakes ain't gonna do ya harm...Unless they got that poison," Yale mused.

"You're not helping us feel better," Demi raised an eyebrow.

"Ya know, ya girls are rather cute! Anyone of ya single?"

"YALE!"

"What? It was just a question! I haven't had action since.."

Demi slapped her hand over the girl's mouth. "Don't you have any manners?"

Yale mumbled something. Demi carefully pulled her hand away. "I do! I do! You know, that was awfully familiar. Ya think I was like this before?"

"Before what?" Demi questioned.

"God..." Yale rubbed her eyes before frowning. "Where's Gally?"

"Castor!" Pollux took off, Demi and the others following. The street was completely empty.

"Where'd she go?" Demi asked thickly. She ran inside and began to call out.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Helen asked, hearing her daughter call out in earnest.

"Gally! I can't find her! She went to the front and ...and..."

"My baby!" Mrs. Helen ran outside. "Gally! Galena! Galena!!"

From the distance, Galena's voice echoed, "GEMINI!"

Demi tore off at that. "Yale! Move now!"

"Right away!" They took off, their pace parallel to the other.

"We need to transform!" Demi called out. She held onto her bracelet tightly. "Gemini Celestial Power, Make Up!"

It was if her body split into two, one as her senshi alter ego and the other her civilian form. Her civilian form was overcome by her senshi self as she glowed. When the light died out, she was as Sailor Gemini.

"Capricorn Celestial Power, Make Up!" From her bracelet came a horn and she blew into it, the vibrations covering her as it transformed her from Yale into Sailor Capricorn.

She had her symbol of Capricorn emblazed on her forehead. She had no earrings like the other two. Her choker was the same but the top half was green and the bottom was brown. Her collar was completely brown but green leaves were attached to the edges. She had brown wrist gloves with her fingers visible. At wrist band was adorned in green leaves, pointing to her hand than upward. Her bodice was completely white, with a brown strap under her breasts and a slim straight edged brown waistband. At the waistband jutted out green leaves. Her skirt was a loose brown mini skirt with green leaves attached to the bottom. Her boots went to her knees and were brown but green vines tied around it in a crisscross fashion until wrapping around the straight edge. The vine was littered with leaves but the top was also adorned in a row of leaves, all the way around the top of the boots.

They found, again, the snake-like man, grasping Galena in it's oversized arms. "Let her go!" Gemini shouted. "I am the Zodiac senshi of the constellation of the Twins, Sailor Gemini!"

"I am the Zodiac senshi of the constellation of the Goat, Sailor Capricorn!"

"Be prepared to be defeated!" They both shouted.

"Give...it to me..." It hissed. "The Heavenly...Crssssytall..."

"I don't know what ya talkin' about but ya better let the kid go!" Capricorn pulled up her horn. "Capricorn Call of the Horn!"

The vibrations began normally but it became drastic as the echoing spread out in a too wide arch. The windows of many cars shattered as well as street lights.

The snake hissed, dropping the fainted figure. "You cannot defeat me!" It growled. "I will kill the starsss of the Heavensss!" It shook it's head before reaching up to gather energy. He disappeared and the ball became a set of two snake-like creatures. But the thing was, it had only one body!

"Eww..." Gemini made a blah face before running to Galena.

"Gemini! Watch out!" Capricorn shouted before moving in for a attack. "Capricorn Energetic Punch!" She glowed with energy as she hit the beast a good hundred feet.

"Take that, ya monstrous creature of the Hell! Tell them Capricorn sent ya!" The beast, seemingly knocked out, suddenly jumped up high as it screamed in rage. "Oh, well, bloody hell..."

It landed hard, the cement cracking. Gemini moved up. "Gemini Dual Winds!"

The beast caught in a upheaval and was again thrown back.

"We need to defeat it!" Gemini turned around and saw that other girls were completely gone. "What? But they...they said..." Gemini's eyes darkened. "Work together, huh? Why should I have believed them?"

"Capricorn Energetic Punch!" Capricorn attacked. But the thing still got up on it's feet. the two heads rolling causing sounds of cracking bone to happen.

"We can't... we're not strong enough..." Gemini stated dully. "Why...why are we... so..."

"Leo Claw Slash!" A shadowed figure jumped down as the beast was literally cut into sections. It turned to dust as the figure turned and looked back at the small group. Gemini caught sight of red eyes before the mysterious senshi jumped up and disappeared from which she had come.

"Was that...Sailor Leo?" Capricorn spoke, awed. "If I could've done that...Oh boy! I'd'a have fun with that little attack! Woo wee!!"

Gemini untransformed, frowning. "Why did she run?"

"I don't know," Yale shrugged as she lifted Galena. "When she's ready, she'll be back, eh?"

"I suppose..." But Demi still felt something, like emptiness. 'We are separate...Why must we be so? What did we do?!' 


	3. Chapter 3

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2006 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Three: Trust

"I told you they couldn't be trusted!" Castor stated evenly.

Demi sighed. "I guess I have no choice but to believe that."

"Well, anyways, not like we were meant to fight together," Pollux answered, his eyes watching Galena as she chased something. "She's been doing that for nearly an hour! You'd think she'd get tired by now."

"Oy! She's a kid, what do you expect?"

"So what are you going to do with your mom?" Castor asked finally.

"I don't know. What do you tell her about cats that can talk?"

"The truth. It IS what she wants," Pollux stretched. "I don't think Mr. Helen is aware though."

"He's barely home," Demi absently scratched Castor's head, behind the ears like he liked. "I don't know what to do anymore. I can't even sleep..."

"Why? You're not afraid of the dark, are ya?" Pollux moved to the front, eyeing Castor with a fixed stare.

"It's not just that.. It was never like that but ever since I awoken as Gemini.." Demi trailed off.

"Fears of the past.." Pollux said quietly, to no one in particular. "Return to haunt those who have lay in suffering..."

"Pollux?" Demi frowned. "What did you ..?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" Castor said hurriedly. "Your dad's coming over!!"

"Oh, hi dad!" Demi forced a smile.

"Your mother.. Have you two done something? She's rather agitated.." Mr. Helen sighed. "She's even talking about those cats, trying to HINT as something.."

"Ah..." Demi slouched over. "I think we should talk about secrets.. Gally! Come on! We're going inside!"

Mr. Helen watched as his two daughters went in and he frowned and shrugged as he soon followed, the cats at his heels.

"Well..ah...Mom, Dad... You know that I found Castor and Galena found Pollux but ah..."

"There's a reason!" Galena piped up.

"Uh huh?" Her parents echoed.

"Um, yea...Well, see, they can talk."

There was silence.

"Guys?" Demi asked pointedly.

The two cats sat in silence, looking at each other.

"C-a-s-t-o-r..."

"I think maybe you've been overstressed, honey," Mr. Helen began. "Too much work, eh?" He tried to smile jokingly.

"Castor.." Demi hissed as she slammed her foot on his tail.

"DEMI!" Her parents shouted.

"OWOWOWOWOWOW!" Castor ran around, howling angrily. "YOU LITTLE TWIT! I'm gonna slash your eyes out!"

"Well, if you had said SOMETHING," Demi retorted.

"OH DEAR GOD! They DO speak!" Mr. Helen eyes widened into saucers before he slumped forward.

"SEE?! See!?" Castor growled. "That's what would happen! I knew it would!"

"I'm so going to KILL you!" She took off after Castor as Galena struggled to help Mrs. Helen with Mr. Helen.

"Come on, Daddy! Wakie wakie!" Galena cooed helplessly as Mrs. Helen waved her hand in front of her husband's face.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I be tryin' all day to get something right..." Yale grumbled. "And now I finally managed to quit!"

She thought of her parents, conformists that hated 'fags' almost as much as they hated their only daughter's tomboyish ways. "I'd never get to tell them..."

"Yale!" A familiar blonde appeared, followed by two older girls. "Remember me?"

Yale noted the red bow. "Ain't ya Minako or somethun'?"

"Yep, that's me! And this is Haruka and Michiru. We were doing some sightseeing..."

"Uh huh? Don't reckon that there's a lot to see in this meager town."

"Well, what about a club?"

Yale was quiet. "The only club I know of is of the Dual Nature one and you DON'T wanna go there unless you're like me."

"Like you how?" Minako tilted her head, confused.

"Like ya two girlfriends there," Yale nodded in the general direction of the two.

"Excuse me but..." Haruka began.

"Oh, that's right! You all are senshi right? Nice of you to ditch us. If it weren't for Leo, we would've been dead. But not like you care now, right?" She smiled but it was drained of friendliness.

"We're sorry.." Minako began.

"Oh stuff it, blondie! I've seen people like you all the time. You say you accept us, you wanna help but ya sure show your true colors when we're in trouble. You'd rather see us DEAD now don't you!?"

"NO!"

"Stop it!" Michiru snapped. "We were merely trying to let you stand on your own! We would've helped if you really needed it!"

But Yale's frown deepened. "No, pretty one, you ain't tellin' the truth. All cause of that cat and that tall dark girl, huh? Something about us being traitors? Murderers? Doesn't matter that maybe we paid for our crimes, no? Oh I see that you wanna be true but you keep getting consumed by rage. You think we ain't angry at ourselves? NOW DO YOU!?"

Yale blinked, finally aware that she was crying. "You don't know what it's like to transform into this.. this thing. Like it used to be me but it's COLD. It'd dark and empty and no matter how close your allies are, you can't ever reach them."

She wiped her face. "Blubbering like a baby! God, I'm a freak! I don't want anything to do with YOU people. You talk big but you hate us just like that Luna. I guess.." She turned around, speaking softer now. "That we will never be absolved for whatever dark thing we've done..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demi had taken a walk, her nerves shot. She had momentary flashes of that orange clad senshi, Sailor Leo.

"Why didn't she stay?" Demi wondered. She fiddled with her bracelet. "It's strange.. One look at this and I knew, I knew I was Sailor Gemini. There was no questioning, no doubt. I just doubt only that our mission...something will go wrong.."

"It is highly probable."

The voice was soft, gentle. "Hello, Gemini." The girl was almost slight, with light brown skin and red eyes.

'Those red eyes...' "Sailor...Leo?"

"Hai, that is me," She smiled as she bowed slightly. "I am Seikano Tategami."

Demi noted the dark brown hair, cut unevenly into layers with heart shaped bangs, also uneven. "You're... Japanese?"

"Only half. My father is African American."

"Really?" Demi exclaimed, awed. "So did you grow up in Japan?"

"Only until I was ten. I noted you have yet to introduce yourself," Tategami commented idly.

"Oh..I'm Demi Helen."

"Your sister...?"

"Galena.. She likes to be called Gally...Say, uh, why didn't you stay?"

"I never actually planned on fighting. I don't care for it, really," She looked away. "But it was either let my allies be hurt or let me be seen."

"But ...we're a team."

"You know that's not true."

"You, you.. do you have memories?" Demi whispered.

"Only the feeling of shame in that despicable form," She held up her hands, staring at them. "I don't understand it but it's a great hindrance, this form."

"I know what you mean..." Demi smiled. "You know, you wanna meet Yale? She's.."

"Sailor Capricorn, yes, I have gotten a glance of her. And sure, I would love to meet her."

They began to walk together. "So, how did you find your bracelet?"

"At the zoo.."

"Really??"

"Uh huh...I was watching the lions. They're my favorite animals and I saw it shining at me...It was attached to the bars of the high barrier and I had to really jump to get it. But once I even touched it..."

She held her hand open, revealing the silver chain with the sign of Leo as a gem glittering at the two girls. "I knew who I was and I saw.."

"Saw what?" Demi stopped.

"I... can't really remember. But it was so many shadows, so many voices...We were all crying..." Tategami sighed. "I knew then that whatever life I had before, it was not such a kind one."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gally opened the door to see Usagi and the other inners, excluding Minako, waiting. "Hi! Are you here for something?" Galena asked brightly. She opened the screen door and hopped out. "I can help you if you want!"

"Oh, well, is Demi home?" Rei asked quietly.

Galena frowned. "But...I'm like you too...Don't you wanna talk to me?"

"Oh well..We want to talk to you AND Demi," Makoto hurriedly stated.

Galena's eyes began to mist. "You're LYING! You don't want to do anything with me...Just like Polly! Just cause I'm little doesn't mean I'm not a Zodiac! You go away!"

"Gally!" Demi nearly shouted. "But you know," She said snidely. "You should leave."

"We wanted to apologize about..."

"Apologize? APOLOGIZE! As if! You go and tell us," She stabbed her finger at Usagi. "That you and your pretty followers want to help us but when we get into massive trouble, you run off to let us get killed! Why should I accept that!"

"It wasn't my idea!" Usagi began.

"Then you had that power to ignore everyone else and do what YOU wanted! But you didn't which says you agree with whoever's idea it was!"

"You are from Japan?" Tategami asked suddenly, in perfect Japanese. Usagi blinked.

"I remember hearing about you. Sailor Moon, right?" Tategami smiled. "You are honorable but if you let your friends distract what is in your heart, than perhaps you are of no help to the Zodiac."

"Ah...English please?" Demi asked finally.

"I was merely suggesting something," Tategami bowed slightly to Usagi. "Is, who was it? Yale, around?"

"Here she comes..." Yale stomped past them before doing a quick one hundred eighty to glare at full strength at the other girls. "I just had a nice talk to ya others so why don't you go on off," She waved her hands, shooing them. "And talk to them, eh? We ain't got to get help from liars!"

"Please..." Usagi peered around to Demi. "We truly are sorry. If you would just..."

"No!" Demi said coldly.

"You heard her!" Castor replied.

"But!" Usagi pleaded.

"NO!" Castor and Demi shouted.

"STOP IT!" Galena shouted. "You are all being STUPID!!"

Galena wiped her face, crying so hard that her body shook. But it wasn't sadness. "I don't care what we did in our past! We are reborn! We are the Zodiac! And we will fight for good and justice! You can't judge us for something we surely suffered for, can you?" She looked up at Usagi. "You...you're the only one who's heart is so big.. that you can forgive us, our kind. Why is it that your soldiers are so centered on themselves and the past that you can't see us for who we are now!?" Galena fell to her knees, sobbing. "I beg of you! As human beings, can't you look at us without hatred, anger? Do you know how much it hurts..." She choked on her sobs, trying to speak, her voice jagged. "That we are scorned already?"

"Galena..." Demi whispered.

She stood up, still shaking but this time, she held her head up. "I don't remember what we did. Someone must of gotten rid those memories for this new life of ours but what of your own? Do they remember so that they would still hate us in this life?"

Usagi's head had moved down, hiding her face but she looked up, tears becoming like waterfalls as she checked back a sob.

"Usagi?" Rei began to ask.

"I don't know why but your pain... I can feel it. That's why I can't hate you...why I won't! You are still suffering and I just want... I just wanted to stop it..." She covered her face.

"Why should we listen to you?" Tategami said finally. "Is it because you cry for the young one? Or are you truly sincere?"

"SHE IS!" Galena shouted. "Usagi..." She reached out and pulled the other's hand to her own two hands, grasping it. "I'm sorry, I made you cry. I don't think I'm a good warrior if I make you cry..."

"No, no!" Usagi fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her. "You are a good person, a good warrior. Don't be sad because I cried!"

Demi watched listlessly. "I don't know what to believe in..."

There was a scream from the side. Mrs. Helen, with her purse forgotten and spilled out, pushed back at the large snake. it was completely black and it had a huge, HUGE rattler.

"What do we have here?" It drawled, it's spiked tongue lashing out for tasting. "Fear...My, my...fressssh blood..."

Demi and Galena ran to their mother. "Gally, get Mom inside!"

"But..."

"GO!"

"Momma..." Galena pulled her inside as her mother looked back worriedly.

"You dare to attack my OWN mother? Shame on you! Gemini Celestial Power, Make Up!!"

"Capricorn Celestial Power, Make Up!"

"Leo Celestial Power, Make Up!" Tategami created a fiery lion as it ran to burn into her, light swimming out to die out, revealing her in her fuku.

It was different as expected by now. Her sign of Leo was upon her forehead. She had dangling three toed paw earrings. Her choker, still crisscrossing, had a tan top and orange bottom. Her collar was orange but the edge was outlined in a fluffy fur of tan. The orange bodice stopped across her chest, above her breasts. Wrapping around her front, shoulders, and back, at the very top of the bodice was also a fluffy fur lineage. Her waistband was merely two strips of tan. Her skirt was normal but orange, also edged in tan fur. Her gloves, without armbands, was all orange and ended a few inches from her elbow. her boots went to her ankles and were also orange. They hand no design on them whatsoever.

And of course, her heart shaped brooch was orange with a yellow gem and three round gems at each lower side.

"I am the Zodiac senshi of the constellation of the Twins, Sailor Gemini!"

"I am the Zodiac senshi of the constellation of the Goat, Sailor Capricorn!"

"I am the Zodiac senshi of the constellation of the Lion, Sailor Leo!"

"Wait for me!!" Sailor Cancer ran out of the house. "I am...(pant pant) the Zodiac senshi of the (gasp) constellation of the Crab, Sailor...aye...Cancer."

"You know, you didn't need to rush," Gemini said mildly.

"I'm a Zodiac too!" Cancer answered stubbornly.

"Anyways! In the name of the Earth and the Zodiac, we will defeat you!" They all shouted, not quite at the same time as Cancer heaved.

"Cancer?"

"I'm so tired.." Cancer fell down to her knees. "I don't know why..."

"Eassssy prey..." The snake wove out quickly.

"Capricorn Energetic Punch!" She ran full speed at the snake monster, kicking it hard to the middle of the street. She then bent down and picked up Galena as she had again untransformed. "I'll take care of the tike. You get rid of that bloody thing!"

"Leo! Ready?" Gemini called out.

"Hai!"

Gemini glanced at her for a lone moment.

"Oh! I mean, ready!"

"Let's go!" They took off at the snake as it threw itself at them.

"Gemini Dual Winds!"

"Leo Claw Slash!" Now seen more clearly, she actually grew elongated nails, even with the gloves!

They attacked as one and smoke of course sprouted as the thing was tossed back even more.

"Did we finish it?"

"Watch out!" Sailor Mercury shouted.

"Mars Flame Sniper!" Sailor Mars attacked and turned the snake into fire.

But it would not be outdone.

"How dare you attack fellow senshi! In the name of the Moon, I am..."

"Sailor Mercury!"

"Sailor Mars!"

"Sailor Jupiter!"

"Sailor Venus!"

"Sailor Uranus!"

"Sailor Neptune!"

"Sailor Moon! You're punished!"

The snake merely raised it's rattler and shook it, hard. It cause vibrations that curbed the fire into death and the others grasped at their ears.

"AUGH!!" Gemini bent over in pain. "Capr...Capricorn..."

"Capricorn Call of the Horn!" Capricorn, from the porch, blew hard into the Capricorn Horn. She managed to nullify the most but she also returned some of the vibrations. The snake curled into a tight coil, hissing in pain.

"I will not be defeated! My massster!"

Energy seemed to blaze down at the snake and it grew a third bigger. But the rattler grew twice as big and each time it hit the earth, the area shook.

"Oh shit..." Capricorn swore.

"Gemini!" Castor came up. "Your weapon!"

"I have a weapon? Where?"

"You must summon it!"

"I must... well.." Gemini frowned. "I don't know how!"

"Please, Gemini! Call it!"

"I CAN'T!" She found her hands clenching in a strange fashion, as if she held something but yet...

"Gemini Dual Blade!"

A weapon, similar to a simplified scythe only with two nearly straight blades, one on each end, formed at her grasping hands.

"Now attack together again!" Castor ordered.

"Capricorn Energetic Punch!"

"Leo Claw Slash!"

"Gemini Space Airstreams!"

The attacks, now doubled because of Gemini's weapon, surged and turned the beast into litter.

"Wow..." Sailor Jupiter frowned. "They didn't have that power before.."

"DEMI!" Capricorn caught the blacked out girl. She snored, heavily as Capricorn giggled. "Musta been a trying attack for her."

"It was indeed great but it seems to be too much as well.." Leo commented.

"What're ya talkin' about?" Yale, untransformed now, glared up. "We gotta fight, now don't we? So we need some good attacking!"

"Innocent people could have been hurt!"

"Do you SEE any innocents? Save of that Gally, I don' think so!" Yale bit out.

"Here, let me get her," Makoto gently picked Demi up, still caught in a endless sleep.

"It's cold... Where am I? Can't you hear me?" Demi felt as if she was watching something. It was so close but the figure, she couldn't make out. She felt the emotions though, sadness, pain, loneliness and worst, something that was only caused by endless suffering. "Please...forgive us! We were led wrong! But must we live like scum of our existence? Is there no one willing to save us?"

"It sounds almost like Galena.." Demi told herself.

"Who's there!"

"You can hear me?" Demi called out. "I...I can't see you!"

"Leave this place! This is a dead land only for I! You mustn't stay!"

"But I want to help you!"

"We failed in this life...Please, right our wrongs. We carry our pain in ways that will destroy us. My fellow comrades... my senshi... We are lost now.."

"No! NO! We aren't! We're still here! HERE!" Demi screamed but the figure's shadow turned away and melted into a scene of death earth. Nothing but ground. Not even a grain of sand. It was just... a hard rock now.

"This.. I know this place.." She landed on it, feeling it underneath her feet. She realized she was in her senshi fuku. "Where am I?"

The area began to spin into another setting, that of a lush scenery, full of life. She heard voices, happy noises of cheer and goodness. And yet...there was a cold in the air.

"We lost everything, didn't we? Why can't you let me remember!?" Demi screamed as the scene returned to the dead. "Please! Set us free!"

"You who are the stars.. you have failed in your past but this one, given to you by someone so dreaming, so foolish, gave you this life."

The voice was male and dangerously familiar. "I know you... don't I?"

"Heh heh heh... Foolish Gemini, you will turn once more on your people... You will become bloodthirsty murderers.."

"NO!" She covered her ears but still, his voice dripped in.

"Led by the gracious soldier...She was the key to your fall.. Once I find her, I will have her tell me where the celestial Heavenly Crystal is..."

"We are the Zodiac! We will defeat you!"

And lo, from the far distance, a voice not unlike hers echoed, "We will defeat you! Defeat you! Defeat you!"

And as that single line echoed into nothing, Demi watched the dead land pull away into the stars, unrecognizable. But still, she knew that place, in her heart. She just no longer wished to say it anymore...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Castor peered down at Demi as she slept. It was nearly night now. "She won't be able to sleep DURING the night at this rate.."

He thought for a moment, and reaching a decision, positioned himself ever so carefully. He knelt down, his butt raised in the air as he took a single deep breath and perfectly pounced on Demi's stomach.

"OOOF!" Demi jerked awake, groaning in pain as it spread out to her limbs. "What was that for?"

"You were going to wake up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep. Let's go for a walk."

"A WALK?!" Demi threw off her bedcovers. "YOU WOKE ME UP FOR A WALK! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"I was just trying to heelllpp!" Castor went skidding down the hallway and down the stairs.

Demi nearly fell down them as she accidentally tripped on a step and she grasped the banister, panting.

"Kill the cat, kill the cat, kill the cat.." Demi grunted as she dove to the back door. She saw the swinging kitty door and grinned like a manic. "I'm gonna get you Castor!" She howled as she flung the door open and ran out, the screen door smashing into its post.

The sun was still giving enough light as she took off after Castor but as time wore on, she finally lost sight of him. And now, the sun was completely gone, the sky completely dark.

"The moon..." She looked up worriedly. "It must be a new moon...but it's...so dark.." She whispered that last word and she wrapped her arms around her, suddenly cold. It was as if she was back in that dead land..

"Ca.. Castor?" She called out weakly. "Castor! Please.. I.. I'm so cold.."

She felt as if she was being sucked into a black hole. "I don't like.. like the dark... Ca.. Castor, don't leave me..."

"You'd think I'd leave you?"

Her head snapped up. "Castor?"

"I was that once... I don't know what I am anymore...I'm still lost.. My Gemini, I'm sorry the night frightens you..."

The voice sounded just like Castor but this tone, of gentleness, of something she could not place, rang through clear. "I can't get home..."

"Gemini...My Gemini..."

"Gemini..." Demi's head snapped up. "Castor?"

"Demi! You crazy nut job! What are you doing on the cold ground?!"

"AUGH! I can't believe I thought you were NICE!" She turned and saw the porch light shining. She didn't realize she was so close. In fact, how was that so?

She stomped off, suddenly tired. She still felt some strain but her heart...It hurt the most, didn't it?

Castor quietly sat on the cold ground and sighed heavily. He, too, was tired, quite visible. "That took too much of me. To have to hide this... It only gets worse. And then I go and go from worst to extreme, I nearly gave myself away."

"I'll say. Since WHEN can you do THAT?" Pollux spoke from the shadows, his voice deadly cold. "Tell me, brother, what do YOU remember?"

"Enough to know to try to FORGET."

"You liar! You still love her! We promised.."

"I KNOW WHAT WE PROMISED!" Castor's tail tucked underneath him as he began to shake. "These forms, why did we take THESE!?"

"It was better for us.." Pollux said evenly.

"Don't you love Cancer?" Castor whispered thickly.

"I did. But our Zodiacs are not the same anymore..." Pollux looked away.

"I see I'm not the only liar," Castor quipped cruelly.

Pollux flushed, despite the fur. His eyes glinted. "We do this for our Zodiac...We cannot bring back emotions that should've died."

"But we can't stop them, can we?"

Pollux and Castor stared at each other. "They are different now but it means little to me. If I could shed this feline and return to myself, I would but we are as lost as them. Just like we wanted."

"Just like we wanted..." Pollux echoed listlessly. "We would do anything..."

"Anything..."

Castor and Pollux began to move toward the house. "Someday, do you think..."

"That we can tell them? Maybe...Although with Gally, it might be like, what, ten, twenty years?"

"When you go to sleep, I'm clawing your eyes out."

"Whatever..." 


	4. Chapter 4

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2006 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Four: Noise

Galena lay in the bed, shifting again and again. She heard Demi go chase off Castor but she wanted Pollux only.

"Why'd I talk like that?" She mumbled. "It was like it was another me.." She sighed as she began to drift into sleep.

Pollux eventually came back in, still upset that his brother had pulled that little trick of his. "Well, if he can do it, so can I!"

He jumped up and studied Galena as she slept peacefully. He moved closer carefully now.

"Polly..." A single word and he stilled, his eyes tearing.

"My Gally.." He whispered, sitting so close, his breath brushed her hair. "I'm sorry... You were made different because of the past and I cannot undo it. I wish.."

He sighed heavily. "Oh I wish you were older, that we could see eye to eye. But that'll never come."

"Why?" Galena whispered, still asleep.

"Talking...in her sleep?"

"Pollux...where are you? I miss you..."

"Gally..."

"Gally? Who is Gally?"

Pollux's eyes spilled. "No, you're not Gally, are you?"

"Will I be?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm scared.. Where are you? Your warmth... I can't feel it.. Please...Don't leave me.."

"I'm right here.. I've never left you.."

He jumped off the bed and sighed heavily. "They are forever separated, even from their true selves... or is it that that self remembers anything?"

He came to a quiet decision. He turned into light and then, melted into the nothingness of air.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Galena was happily dreaming. She was at a beach and she chased itty bitty crabs. She giggled as they walked sideways and she poked at one with a stick.

"You'll make them angry."

Galena blinked. "Polly..." She stilled, facing the tall young man in front. The same eyes stared at her with something a young child shouldn't understand but Galena...

"Pollux... I..."

"I wanted to say I'm sorry.." He bent down on one knee and the scenery changed into that of a dead land.

"No...bring it back!"

"It's gone, Galena. It won't be able to come back until you can remember.."

"I don't want to!" Galena pulled her hand from his own, checking a sob.

Pollux stood up and she stepped back, frightened.

"I may have said things cruelly to you but I would never, ever hurt you.." Pollux rubbed his scalp tiredly.

"Polly.. are you all right?"

"I can do little even as a cat, this could just destroy me but I.. I just wanted us to meet at least once.."

"Pollux..."

It was Galena in front of him but her voice, from her past self, resurfaced.

"I love you Polly... No matter what form"  
Pollux's eyes darkened. "I know but..." He moved toward her and tilted her head so gently.

"Forget this. Forget me. I want you to be happy, my Cancer...my beloved..." He did then kiss her and even at the slight age of ten, something blossomed within her and she knew what it was.

...Love. It was different from before, deeper as if they tied by the fate of their lives. They would depend on each other if only... if only she could remember...

"My head..." Galena blinked in surprise. He was gone and she still walked on the dead earth. She was now in her fuku and she stared out at the dried up water banks.

Flashes of images, shadows, voices, angry and sad alike, the stars, and then, a woman. So perfectly clear.

"White hair..." Galena reached out. "Please.. won't you set us free?"

And within that white haired woman was a crystal star. She was crying. "No.. don't.. don't do it!"

"I am a disgrace... I shouldn't have fallen... but I failed now and we all must suffer... May the light of the White Moon answer my last and final plea..."

And with that, the crystal star shattered into a even amount of pieces. Some were bigger and others merely shards.

A small sliver floated to her and presented it to her.

"You wish to remember?" It spoke to her.

"Yes.."

"But you are not ready... The others must be awoken as well..."

"But I need to know!"

"It is best to forget.."

"But we need forgiveness!!" Galena reached out and grasped in her hands. It was hot! So blazing with energy despite it's small size.

"Age does not make a difference, Cancer. By the power of your own heart, you CAN be stronger. Until the day you remember, stand proudly by your warriors and have faith in them. Believe in them because someday, they will look to you with that same faith.."

"I understand... Um.. are you my conscience?"

And a laugh was heard. "I am a lost being now... I am no longer you..."

"But we are the Zodiac.."

"We are the Zodiac... the Zodiac... Zodiac..."

Galena woke up as she fell of bed. She gasped in air, as if she had stopped breathing. And she tried to think of what she dreamt about.

"Polly?" She turned around and saw him with a smile. "Oh... you're here... I had a lot of dreams."

"Really? Can you... remember them?"

"No...not really..."

And Pollux instantly relaxed. "Well, someday you will and they will be very important."

"Polly?"

"Yes?"

"...Never mind."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was only a few weeks later and the small gathering of Zodiac senshi were starting to learn about each other.

"Yea, so my ma and pa are always tryin' to change me, ya know?" Yale told Tategami.

"It would be nice to be accepted. I was not during my stay at Japan. I had many friends but more enemies."

"It is tough to be on the outside of life," Demi sighed. "But we get by..."

"And what kinda prob would you be having? Miss All-Pretty-with-a-Good-Heart-and-Mind?"

"Puleeze!" Demi snorted, taking a swig of her Diet Pepsi.

"You know, water is so much better," Tategami sipped her water carefully.

"I know but this, this is an addiction!" Demi laughed, swinging the one-liter bottle.

"Come on!" Galena stood at them. "I wanna play but I don't wanna be by myself!"

"All right, all right.." Demi sighed.

"She's really cute," Tategami said.

"Yea, and super friendly!" Yale agreed.

"I'd say she's loud," The voice, distinctly soft and feminine, said very quietly.

The girl, a bit shorter than the others but average looking nonetheless, looked back with mahogany eyes. Her skin color was a bit like dark sand and her hair was a brown. But it was uniquely placed up. Even without any headbands.

She had a few jagged bangs, parted at the far right and the hair was tucked out into a ponytail spray.

"And how much gel did you use to do that to ya hair?" Yale asked conversationally.

"Why, none of your business."

"You little..!"

"Yale!" Demi smiled at the new girl. "Can I help you?"

"Aren't you Gemini? Capricorn? And Leo?" She pointed to each respective person as she asked, rather bored.

"Yes, we are and you are?"

"Taurus, at your service."

"And your human name?" Demi asked finally.

"Karna Dume, Ms..."

"Demi.. Demi Helen. This is Yale Angus and uh.."

"Seikano Tategami," Tategami bowed slightly.

"Well, it was nice finding you... or not. See, I have a distinct dislike for you for some reason." She laughed coldly. "And yet, I feel something else entirely..."

"Do you have memories of the past?" Tategami asked quietly.

"No but Libra probably does."

"You know Libra!?"

"How else do you think I've awaken? Didn't she find you?"

"Well, no.. We found our bracelets in strange places and once we touch them..." Demi trailed off.

"We get zapped with the notion that we was the Zodiac," Yale said.

"You must be from down south."

Yale flushed.

"Well, you certainly don't look like a Southern belle. More like a she-he, really."

"You racist bi.."

"Hi!" Galena popped up. "You got a bracelet too! Are you going to join us?"

"Me? Join this crackpot team? I work best alone. Now, little Cancer, stay out of trouble."

And with that, Karna walked off.

"Who the hell does she think she is?!" Yale began.

"Well, we can't expect to all work together," Demi said quietly.

"But if we do not, it will prove a great problem. Not now of course but later," Tategami pointed out.

"We should find out about Libra.." Demi went off after Karna. The other girl had turned a corner and was talking with a white haired girl. The rest of the girls hid behind the wall and hurriedly listened.

"Did you talk to them?" Arin asked quietly.

"Of course but why do we.."

"We are the Zodiac."

"Then why don't you do it?" Karna asked darkly. "I don't know what you're hiding but it's proving to be rather distracting. I wonder, is this the real you?"

Arin's smile faded as her face grew dark. "You should mind your own business. I do things MY way and my way ONLY. You follow MY orders."

"I never agreed..."

"Oh, but didn't you want to find out the truth?" Arin smirked. "I could tell you but you need to... earn my trust, if you will."

"I could just ask the others.."

"They don't remember anything! Those so-called men in feline bodies can't invoke them until they can handle their true powers."

"True powers?"

"Oh yes... we are able to do so much MORE than fight... We could bring such...destruction.."

Karna looked away, worried. "But I thought.."

And then, suddenly, Arin's face tightened and she collapsed into a huddle. "Oh..." She moaned. She looked up at Karna, scared now." Wha...what happened?"

Karna didn't say anything but she did look back and nodded to the girls.

"SHIT!" Yale whispered. "She knows we're here!"

"Oh no, she knew that we followed," Demi pulled away. "Let's go back."

"I don't understand!" Galena began as the group walked to the picnic area. "Aren't they like us?"

"The girl...She's familiar. She must be Libra, don't you think?" Demi asked.

"She...is strange," Tategami said finally.

"Hey!" Galena stopped at the rest moved away from her. "No one listens to me. If I were like them..."

"Age does not make a difference, Cancer. By the power of your own heart, you CAN be stronger. Until the day you remember, stand proudly by your warriors and have faith in them. Believe in them because someday, they will look to you with that same faith.."

Galena heard that and sighed as she shook herself free of dark emotions. "I won't lose faith! I believe in them...even if they don't listen to me." She thought for a moment. "I do know somebody who will! I'll talk to Polly when we get home!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But they didn't get close to home when again, Karna appeared, walking swiftly toward them.

"What did you want?" She asked, rather crossly.

"We.. wanted to know about Libra," Demi asked quietly.

"I said she probably knew more but that doesn't mean she'll spill," Karna shrugged. "If you couldn't tell, Libra can't quite handle herself as it is."

"What is wrong with her?" Tategami asked gently.

"Hell if I know. All I know was that she's not looking for you and she doesn't want to..."

"But then, why approach us?" Yale asked.

"Because she turns around and says we need to be together. I don't know which side to listen to."

"You friends?" Yale asked suddenly.

"We used to be..." Karna briefly closed her eyes. "I think... when she found her bracelet, something dangerous happened to her. She's...unbalanced to say at the least."

"Do you have memories?" Demi asked quietly.

"You asked me already."

"We all are trying to remember.." Demi continued.

"Why? If we remember, we will only make that same mistake."

"Now that's backwards thinkin' for ya," Yale retorted. "It's if we remember, we can stop the same mistakes from happening."

"Well I don't want to remember!" Karna said, sharply and angrily. "All I know is that when I'm Sailor Taurus, I'm looking at a shell! And then, I look into a mirror and I see me, I wonder, is this also a illusion.." Karna stared at them. "I have no wish to work with you. I don't want to. We were meant to work that way."

"We were meant to work together," Galena protested but Yale grabbed her hand and the others turned away from Karna. Galena struggled as she looked back and the overwhelming sadness on Karna's face answered more than any question could.

"Let me go! Yale!"

"Be quiet rugrat. We going home."

Galena felt it then, the unbolting of rage. She pulled hard, sending Yale flying to the side, scrapping her elbow on the cement. Galena growled. "I AM NOT A CHILD!"

And with that, she turned and ran down back toward Karna.

"What the hell was her prob?" Yale shouted, glaring at Demi. Demi watched her sister.

"I.. I don't think that was Gally..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We are a team!" Was the first thing she said to Karna as the older girl walked hurriedly away from the chasing younger girl. "We were meant to fight together and you know it! So are we to Libra! We can't give up on her!"

"I never said I would!" Karna said indignantly.

"But you don't even bother helping her! If we could.."

"Don't you get it? We are all inflicted in some way, be it major or minor in this life. For one, you're not supposed to be the youngest, you're supposed to be the oldest!"

"What?" Galena stopped walking as Karna took a few steps forward, halted, sighed, and turned back.

"Little Cancer was never little. You were the one we looked to. And you were.. the last to fall.."

"I want us to work together.." Galena whispered.

"But once together, the Dark Zodiac will be whole once more."

"The Dark... Zodiac?"

"He calls himself Ophiuchus, the thirteenth Zodiac."

"I thought... you didn't have any memories.." Galena began.

"Oh, I have them... but HE is the one I can make out the most. There is usually another one though... So far away..."

Karna cupped her face in her palms, as if trying to hide her emotions. "She calls to us, that hope, that light but he surrounds us in its barrier.. I can't get out... I'm trapped.. I..."

"Karna.." Galena touched her elbow gently. "But we're right here. We're not trapped."

And a stab with through Galena.

"I am a lost being now... I am no longer you..."

"Lost.. Is that what happened to us? We were.. lost?"

"Exiled. I remember so little but the impressions left behind. I see nothing but a dead star..."

Galena for a moment, saw familiar loving eyes. "But we were reborn. Who saved us?"

"Rather, who saved what was left of us? And why weren't we healed?" Galena bit out, angry again. "I don't understand anything. It feels as I'm split into so many shards. I want to be just me but.."

"We are all plagued somehow," Karna was watching the sun, setting low. "And when night comes and the stars rise, we look toward them for forgiveness." She sighed. "I haven't had a good night's sleep in so long.. I'm just so tired..."

"Karna...can you tell me more about Ophiuchus?"

"Gally!" Demi shouted from the back, deciding now to finally get her.

"Cancer..." Galena started to look up but watched Karna bend down to face her eye to eye. "Remember, you were the last to fall. Find out why and you will find a strength within you that will help us. You were always the one who wanted to protect us..."

"Will I see you again?"

"Yes.. But I'm not so nice, remember that," Karna stood up and gently brushed Galena's bangs from her face.

"My name.. It's Galena.." Galena told her quietly.

"Little Galena... Remember what I said okay?"

"Yes.." She watched Karna leave with a heavy heart.

"I'm scared... I don't want to watch the stars.." Galena told herself. "We only have darkness..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Polly!" Galena called out and heard nothing. "POLLY!"

She ran inside and saw her mother talking with her father. "Hi mama! We're home!"

"Hi Mom, Dad.." Demi sighed tiredly.

"Ah..honey, we wanted to talk to you..." Mrs. Helen pulled her two daughters. "We've been discussing the recent occurrences of strange snakes and seeing as your ... cats talk, well, did you want to tell us anything else?"

"Like what?" Demi scratched her nose.

"Why do you have TALKING cats?"

Demi and Galena looked at the other one. "Well.. because we're senshi.."

"Come again?" Mr. Helen asked finally.

"We're warriors.."

Mrs. Helen tilted her head. "So, those who saved me.. that was you and your friends?"

"..Yes. We're the Zodiac."

"I don't know why I'm not surprised.." Mrs. Helen smiled. "Demi, you must remember your promise. You said you'd tell me your secrets."

"Ah... but I don't want Dad to have a heart attack."

"What? Nonsense! He's a tough as nails!" She laughed deeply and glanced pointedly at Mr. Helen who gave weak laugh.

"Daddy.. you don't believe us." Galena said accusingly.

"Of course I do.." Mr. Helen began halfheartedly.

"MOMMA!"

"George!"

Mr. Helen sighed. "I... uh, could see these...senshi things?"

Demi and Galena glared at him. "Ah.. Please?"

They both sighed as one as they raised their arms with the bracelets twinkling.

"Gemini Celestial Power, Make Up!"

"Cancer Celestial Power, Make UP!"

And as they reappeared in their Zodiac form, Mr. Helen's eyes rolled to the back of his head and fainted, yet again.

"Mom?"

"He was always on the weak side," Mrs. Helen sighed. "Our strength runs mainly in the female side anyways."

Demi giggled as Galena waved her hand at her father, trying to wake him up.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yale sat on the steps of her home, trying to go inside but she just didn't have the courage. Everyday it got harder and harder.

"Hey, sis," Marcus had pulled up in his beaten up Jeep and sat next to his sister. He was the spitting image of her, save that he was a actual guy.  
"I can't keep this charade going.." Yale sighed. She held her head in one hand the other tapping her bent knee. "It's just getting so hard..."

"How about this.. You tell them but if they, well, kick you out, you can stay with me."

"Really?" Yale looked up and Marcus saw the gathering of tears at the sides of her eyes.

"Yes..."

"Here goes nothing.."

Mr. and Mrs. Angus were nice but the thing was, they still carried many prejudices that should have been changed with time. Being a gay or lesbian, to them, was a great sin to God and of course, being overly religious, they thought they instilled this thought into their children.

Thankfully, their children weren't so closed minded.

"Mom, Dad?" Yale nearly whispered. "Okay, they're not home," She told Marcus.

"Nice try. MOM DAD!" Marcus shouted on the top of his lungs.

"Coming!" Came Mrs. Angus's reply. The two appeared from the kitchen, smiling. "What a nice surprise! Marcus!"

"Oh yes, so nice of you to visit! Haven't been too busy for your folks, now have you?" Mr. Angus smiled widely.

"Mom... Dad... I wanted to tell you something..."

"Well, go ahead.." Mr. Angus continued to smile at Marcus, despite the fact that it had been Yale to talk. She knew, even from a young age, that her parents didn't think as highly as Marcus. She only hoped that they loved her.

"Dad.." Yale moved to his front, staring up at him. They weren't close in height but something about Yale got her father's attention.

"What?" He asked, his smile gone.

"I'm gay."

Mrs. Angus burst out laughing. "Oh, please not this again. You're just going through a stage right now..."

"NO I'M NOT!" Yale shouted, angry. "Why don't you ever listen to me! I'm a human being, for crying out loud!"

"Not much of one if you're one of THEM," Mr. Angus turned to Marcus. "Well, what do you have to say?"

Marcus stared at his father. "I hate you."

Mrs. Angus began to talk earnestly. "Now Marcus.."

"NO! You belittled Yale for the last time. I don't know what your problem is but.."

"She's a disgrace to the family!" Mr. Angus growled. "And if you feel the same.."

"I DON'T! She's my sister!"

"Then get out! The both of you! We didn't raise you to be freaks! GET THE HELL OUT!"

"Wai..wait.." Mrs. Angus began tearfully.

"Shut the hell up and get back in the kitchen!" Mr. Angus went forward and visibly shoved the two that he had fathered out of the house. "Until you learn to obey your father," He told Marcus. "And when you learn to be a woman," He told Yale. "Don't even think of coming back!"

And with that, the door slammed shut.

"Um.. does that offer still stand?" Yale tried to say, beginning to cry.

"Come on, let's go home," He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, speaking softly and soothingly. "It'll be all right. Don't worry.."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arin walked down a dirt path, far off the outskirts of town. Her home, a beaten piece of land with a shack, was were she lived with her mother, father, and younger brother.

She hated it though. That small confining place. She could never do well with closed areas. She remembered others used to shove her into closets and she'd scream, again and again. And only hear the hollow laughter of her peers, echoing in the tightened area as it exploded into her head.

She knew it, somehow along the way. She had snapped. As she brushed her hair after unclasping it, she gazed back at the broken mirror's reflection.

The reflection of Sailor Libra. The same hair and eyes but the fuku was different as it was customary now.

She too had the a symbol, that of Libra upon her brow. She had the same choker, the bottom half yellow, the collar a single color of yellow and the fuku was all white, with no parts or waistband. What she did have was a section of overlapping yellow fabric, much like a kimono's waistband. She had gloves that was a v on the inside of her wrist and a on the back of her wrist. The top came to a point on the outside. The glove itself covered three fourths of her arm, revealing the fingers. Her shoes went to her knees and came to a tip at the top. The edge was stylized like a arrow head, the sides elongated to wrapped around the top edge. Her brooch was a heart shaped and yellow with a yellow star and three conjoined round gems at each low side. Her earrings were dangling yellow arrowhead shaped earrings.

"Did you find them?"

"Yes.."

"Good girl. I knew you were good for something..."

"What do I do now?"

"What do you think should happen?"

"I don't want to bother them anymore.." Arin whispered.

Libra's smile grew. "Oh, you know that's not possible. They are our team, our Zodiac," she hissed. "We must finally... be whole again."

"How?" Arin couldn't look up, she knew the answer already.

"Kill them..." 


	5. Chapter 5

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2006 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Five: Deafening

Too loud, it was much too loud. Karna struggled to breath in air but only found a empty pocket of nothingness. And the noise, too loud, too consuming. It deafened her and so, to hear what was going on, she opened her eyes.

And so, Karna Dume awoke each morning suffering from the deafness that plagued her. Eventually as the day wore on, her hearing bettered but still, it was harder for her to understand most. Which was why she taught herself to read lips.

"Ms. Karna, your parents request your presence," the young maid said, her face blank.

"I'm on my way," Karna answered.

It was always like this. Her parents always called her by their servants. There was never a moment of that thing called family life. She was the heir and nothing more.

And when her younger twin brothers were born, she was out of the picture. Not like she cared. Of course, she didn't care much for anything. It was if she were a hollow pillar and everything merely echoed within her.

She met her parents and saw a new face.

"Karna, this is Arin Galahad. She came here asking if she could talk to you."

"And you couldn't just send her to my room?" Karna asked crossly.

"She is a guest, try to be polite, won't you?" Mr. Dume asked, his voice overly loud. She flinched and resisted the urge to stop the ringing in her ears.

Karna sighed. "Please, Ms. Galahad, follow me.."

The footsteps vibrated in the spacious hallway.

"I've never met you so I don't..." Karna began before turning around completely. Arin was holding out a bracelet, a strange gem symbol glowing. "And what is that? You want me to take it?"

Arin merely waved her hand slightly. Karna stared at it. "Put it down.." She said suddenly.

"Take it from my hand.." Arin's voice was soft, so soft, and yet, Karna felt pain wrack her ear drums. "Take it.."

And she had no choice. She was COMPELLED to take hold of that forbidden item.

And with it, came the realization of her powers, of the Taurus constellation. But something trailed up from Arin's hand, swirling over the bracelet. The Taurus symbol was going black.

And fear crawled through her veins. She stuttered and with all of her strength, pulled away hard. She found herself breathing heavily.

"Who... who are you?" She asked thickly.

"I am Libra... I am the leader of the Zodiac."

"Hah.." Karna woke up from her disturbed sleep. "Nothing but darkness..."

She dressed and exited and as she expected, she saw the young girl waiting in the far front. Arin smiled and waved happily.

"She's not normal...But then, neither am I." She walked over to Arin. "So what are our plans for today?"

"I thought we could go to the mall," Arin suggested, still bright.

And Karna looked into warm eyes, the opposite that haunted her. She knew they shouldn't hang out together. That sooner or later, whatever balance Arin had would break and Libra would consume her.

And she knew, all too much, that this was why she would not leave Arin be. Arin was a good person at heart but something was wrong. And until it was fixed, Karna suddenly decided that she would never leave the other girl's side. She just had to be very, very careful.

Very...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And so, they hung out together. Karna did like the other girl, despite her strange and often frightening lapses. Then one day, she found herself in a situation where one was the enemy but then, so was her ally.

The day started normally. She, unlike the past self of when she was still friendless, was doing better. She even got along better with her parents. And she was happy.

"Imagine that... Me, happy?" Karna sprayed her hair into it's ridge format. She took to this hairstyle only recently. She dreamt of it and thought it was important for her to act upon it.

"But it's just a dream, nothing more," She told her reflection firmly. "A dream!"

She was hearing better too. It was as if she was being healed. She had nearly perfect hearing and she felt as if she owed it all to Arin.

"Hi Karna!" Arin called out from the outside as Karna exited. "Are you ready for class?"

"Sure, I guess..." Karna shrugged.

"You know, I think I've seen that hairstyle. You look really good in it!" Arin exclaimed.

"You know, don't you go to college?"

"For English and Calculus but other than that.." Arin shrugged. "I like learning. Gets me out of the house for a long, long time.."

"Don't you like your home?"

Arin's face paled. "Oh..it's great." She answered halfheartedly.

Karna looked up at the skies, the heavens littered in partial puffy clouds. "Well, as long as you're happy..."

Arin's eyes darkened. "Happy.. yes.. I'm... happy."

Karna looked over before a scream echoed in the front, near the school's steps. A snake, with three heads, each a primary color and the tail going rainbow, loomed over a group of students who could only scream.

"Come on!" Arin grabbed her and threw her and herself into a alley. "Transform!"

"Libra Celestial Power, Make Up!" Light swarmed on one half of her, forming only half of her fuku before the light wrapped around her and she came out as Sailor Libra.

"Taurus Celestial Power, Make Up!" A ram appeared, made of light and it stamped its feet as it ran in rage. The noise ricocheted around Karna before turning into silence as Sailor Taurus appeared.

She bore her Taurus symbol along her brow. Her ears were studded with yellow rings. Her choker was the same style as the rest but the top was white and the bottom was mahogany. Her collar was mahogany but the edges were double striped in white lines. Her brooch was heart shaped and mahogany, with the same yellow star in its center and three round gems at each low side. Her bodice was scandalous. The top was merely a tear shaped bra (much like the top part of the Starlights Fuku), the straps hanging over her forearms rather than her shoulders. The bottom of the bra was a yellow hard band. The midriff was exposed until the waist which had a slight v yellow band, slenderer though than most waist band.

At its center was a white gem with a yellow center. The skirt was actually two layered but the top was only partial, leaving a wide width at the front view as the skirt wove around her hip, buttocks, back around the other hip. The bottom layer reached her knee on the left side but moved upward to reach halfway down to her knee. Her hands wore mahogany wrist gloves, her fingers exposed. Her shoes were clomps and also mahogany.

Libra pulled out a blade that was narrow but wide, the handle slender and wide with a rounded end. "Let's go!"

"Al...all right.." Taurus said, trying to feel brave.

"Hey! How dare you attack harmless children! I am the soldier of the constellation of Balance, Sailor Libra! I'm going to tip this war into my favor!"

"I'm the soldier of the constellation of the Ram, Sailor Taurus!"

"And in the name of Earth and the Zodiac, be prepared!"

The snake monster turned around and stared hard at the two senshi. It was still, too still.

"Taurus Tambourines!" Taurus shouted as she readied to attack.

"No..." Libra whispered, her voice nearly gone. "Oh god... NO!" She held her head tightly as she began to scream. "GET HIM OUT GET HIM OUT!!"

Taurus raised her weapons. "Taurus Ringing Stampede!" She shouted as she smashed the two halves into one, the air shaking. She saw the noise from into a herd of ram, striking out at the snake. And then, the noise hit her.

She began to scream and claw her ears in earnest. Pain wracked through her as Libra, now broken free from whatever hold, looked up with a very dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Libra Sword Cut!" She took the blade in her hands and swung only once. All three heads fell of as it turned into nothing but dust.

Taurus was huddled down on the ground, rocking as she sobbed. She felt the touch of Libra and watched the other's mouth move.

'Let's go.' She read as she staggered to her feet.

And since then, she has never heard anything else. She thought it would be the end, but no, something wonderful happened. She became aware of so much in everything. In movement, in gestures, in faces that she could never see before. Her hearing was gone but something more supernatural took it's place.

And so, Karna lived by this new natural way, all the while Arin began to become even more confused.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karna looked slightly behind her, seeing the gathering of the other girls. She felt sorry for them but in order for them to not get involved with Libra, she had to be hateful. At least for now.

"Did you talk to them?" Arin asked quietly.

"Of course but why do we.."

"We are the Zodiac."

"Then why don't you do it?" Karna asked darkly. "I don't know what you're hiding but it's proving to be rather distracting. I wonder, is this the real you?"

Arin's smile faded as her face grew dark. "You should mind your own business. I do things MY way and my way ONLY. You follow MY orders."

"I never agreed..."

"Oh, but didn't you want to find out the truth?" Arin smirked. "I could tell you but you need to... earn my trust, if you will."

"I could just ask the others.."

"They don't remember anything! Those so-called men in feline bodies can't invoke them until they can handle their true powers."

"True powers?"

"Oh yes... we are able to do so much MORE than fight... We could bring such...destruction.."

Karna looked away, worried. "But I thought.."

And then, suddenly, Arin's face tightened and she collapsed into a huddle. "Oh..." She moaned. She looked up at Karna, scared now." Wha...what happened?"

And Karna smiled as she knelt down. "It's okay. You have me here, remember?"

"But I don't know what's happening!" Arin whispered. "I keep going to this dead land but I can't move! I'm in a cage!"

"It's just a dream," Arin pulled her up with a sigh. "Head home, okay?"

Karna eventually faced them and tried her best to warn about Libra. But something about the little girl got to her and she fled, seeing the kind eyes that reminded her of someone else that stayed nameless.

And that's why she reached out to Galena and she realized why Galena felt so important. But the young girl was still struggling with herself and it couldn't be Karna to help her. Not if she couldn't even help Arin or herself.

She walked away as Demi ran to her sister. "Take good care of her Gemini. Someday she will learn to take her stand. Until then, stay away from us."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But the next few days proved to be a very frightening moment of reality. She found herself and Libra attacked again and again and as she struggled to just stay strong, Libra's eyes turned darker each time she transformed.

"LIBRA!" Taurus shouted as a snake made of wind wrapped around her and actually swallowed her. "No.. I failed.. Libra! Libra! ARIN COME BACK!" She screamed, only to find deafening noise. "No.. I can't let this be... YOU MONSTER!"

The snake began to turn into nothing.

"I have what I want.." The voice spoke in her head.

"Give her back!"

"She's now MINE... and if you know any better, you will be mine as well..."

She felt it then, surrounding her, the same blackness as when she first met Arin. "No.."

She raised her weapons and smashed them together but nothing came of it. No attack, no air waves, just complete dead silence.

"Please... Arin, you have to be strong," Taurus shouted. "I can't.. I can't do this alone..."

"But this was your fault.." The voice drawled. "You listened and what you've done cannot be undone... You will all return to me once more..."

"No! NO NONONONONONONNONONONO!!!" Taurus screamed before the black clouds suddenly were ripped apart, revealing her alone in the street, in her civilian form.

She staggered a few steps before she gave in to oblivion.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She awoke in a warm bed, a young dark skinned woman with green hair tending to her. "What happened?" She asked thickly.

Setsuna smiled. "You broke the seal."

"Seal?" She struggled up. "Who are you? Why are you helping me? What are you?"

"I'm human, JUST LIKE YOU..." She said that so carefully.

"Are you a Zodiac?"

"No, I'm a Sol Senshi," Setsuna answered.

"You...oh dear god, you one of those that took our place."

Setsuna stilled, her back to Karna. "Yes, I am."

"But why..."

"You'll remember soon enough. For now, we must discuss what to do with Libra."

"She's my responsibility," Karna began, trying to stand up but Setsuna pushed her down with a rather light touch.

"You're weak. You need to gather your strength."

"Why are you being so nice?" Karna whispered. "In our other lives... weren't we horrible?"

"No...And yes."

"That's not helping!" Karna nearly shouted.

"Taurus.." Setsuna said quietly.

"It's Karna! Karna! I'm not just Taurus!"

Setsuna gently brushed her hair back, speaking carefully. "Not all of you are whole, or as whole as you. You're aware of what's happening. You need to be with the others."

"I can't... The Dark Zodiac.."

"But together, you can win.." Setsuna gently said.

"I don't know...what to do anymore..." Karna said tearfully.

"Then wait for the moment to be revealed."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And so, she found herself tailing the young Galena. "She's nice. She sees me..."

Pollux heaved a sigh. "For the last time, Gally. Do something!"

"She's protecting me."

"WHY?"

Galena blinked. "She thinks I'm important enough."

"Well, we all do," Pollux began.

"But she thinks I'm like...oh, well, the leader, I think."

Pollux didn't say anything. He wasn't even looking at her. And that was what told her that maybe there was truth in what she said.

And he crashed to the floor as she turned and began walking toward Karna.

"Can you hear me?" She asked very loudly.

Karna blinked, her eyes on the other's face. "How did you know I was deaf?"

"When you talk you watch mouths."

Karna actually smiled. "You're smart. The others don't listen much, now do they?"

"That's cause they're not as whole as you."

Karna's smile faded. "Oh, you...you're good. But tell me," She knelt down. "Do you remember anything?"

"Shards of a crystal..." Galena held her hands into a cup. "One of them... talked to me."

"You were one of the most spiritual."

"Why do you remember so much?"

"I don't know. I think I just needed something to grasp and you all were the only things important to me."

"What of your family?"

"I was never anything there..." Karna sighed. "It's a lonely job."

Pollux waltzed up. "Excuse me, girls but ah, could we start moosing along?"

"Nah..." Galena giggled. "We're fine! You go ahead!"

Pollux sat at Karna's feet. His lips moved.

"I...uh, can't read cat lips," Karna said finally.

Pollux looked over at Galena. "She's DEAF?"

"Yes, is that a problem?"

Pollux took a double take. "What kind of tone was that? I'm your superior!"

"Funny.. I thought you were my friend," Galena grabbed Karna's hand and stormed off with the other.

And Pollux took a deep breath, his heartbeat raging through him. He knew he hurt feelings but damnit, he couldn't get attached. Not now, not again.

Sadly, even as he told himself that, he was already head over tail with the little warrior.

"No matter the age, no matter the physical difference, she is my only one. I just hope I can regain my former glory before everything goes to hell..." Pollux told himself.

"In love with your warrior?" A familiar white cat jumped down.

"And who are you?" Pollux leaned forward, the scent familiar.

"Artemis, you?"

"Pollux. Where have you been? For that matter, your warriors?"

"Trying to learn about you all. Without memories, you're virtually lost."

"The Zodiac have no memories..."

Artemis snorted. "And if you're anything like Luna or I, you won't have any memories either."

"Leave yourself out of it," Pollux hissed.

"She's the leader, isn't she?"

Pollux blinked. "No."

"I'm not stupid. I've worked with leaders all of my lives. I can tell a regal form."

"She's a child!"

"But she cannot help others until she helps herself! Awaken her!"

"I tried! Don't think that! But if I become human..."

"You can become human?" Artemis sat down on his haunches. "Why don't.."

"Because it would kill me!" Pollux snarled. "When my Cancer was punished, so was I!"

Artemis stared at him. "You really... love her don't you?"

"Do you know what it's like, to be in darkness on a dead planet? They all returned from whence they came but there was nothing LEFT. She was the last one to fall and the last one to die..." Pollux gulped. "And then... a blinding light..."

"The Ginzuishou..." Artemis said suddenly. "The light captured all that was in the Sol System."

"That crystal... why would the Queen salvage us?" Pollux growled.

"Because she forgave you. But the rest of us..." Artemis sat down. "I came to you to talk person to person. I think I understand what's happening."

"And your mate?"

"What mate?"

"The hard ass purple feline?" Pollux raised an eyebrow.

"Oh.. ah, yea her... well, she kinda doesn't know." Artemis nervously laughed.

"I'm listening."

Artemis blinked. "Not exactly friendly..."

"So sue me. Now, either you start talking or I walk off.."

Artemis blinked solemnly. "I think...what's happening now is what happened to your warriors in the past. But it was rumored then that you were a whole as it was."

"When Serenity first came to this land, this system, the Zodiac were already breaking apart. It was with the decision of the court to separate you from each other. But in doing so, we only made things worse."

"So it was your fault?"

"Damnit! Let me finish! The reason you began to break was because you have a traitor!"

"What? My Zodiac don't go against the others! We are one!"

"If you haven't figured it out, the fuku stands for more than originality! It is the symbol of discontinuity. You are all merely shadows of your true selves! And if that traitor is claimed again, then whatever that enemy was after will finally have it."

"And just what is he after?" Pollux asked coolly. "Since you know so much?"

"A item... I've scoured the books and it said something of a celestial star. But it's not just one of them, it's ALL Of them."

Pollux frowned. "Galena, I heard her talk about a shard talking to her..."

"CAN crystals talk to people?" Artemis blinked. "Maybe it was a extreme dream?"

"No, the shard was another symbol... a link... to where...AUGH! Why do I even bother!" Pollux yelled. "You even know more and you never even been with us! Why can't I remember anything!!"

Artemis sighed. "I think you need to gather all of your senshi. You've only have half."

"Fine..until then, I'll just shut off my thoughts," Pollux turned away.

"For what it's worth, the Sol Senshi will stand by you."

"You said that before and failed. Why should I believe you?"

"Because your Galena believes in us."

And Pollux sighed. "And anything she says, I will obey to the last. I may be a cat but I most certainly don't have any individuality!!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karna slept in the extra bedroom. She had a long talk with Galena and Demi. And she told Demi later about Galena.

"She can't be the leader! She's a kid!" Demi shook her head viciously.

"She was made that way. That way we wouldn't take her serious enough. But look into her eyes and see that strength. She was the one to lead us," Karna retorted just as viciously.

And Demi sighed. "Then is she the key?"

"No..." Karna's eyes watered. "It took Libra.. she was already nearly gone but what he'll do with her..."

Demi looked out of the window, the stars glittering. "They look warm but if we went there..."

"If we went there..." Karna mumbled, just about to fall asleep. Her eyes snapped open.

"Hey, hey!" She stage whispered, poking at Pollux. "I need you to do a favor and don't bother asking anything, I won't hear you."

Pollux grumbled but listened.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Galena slept happily before light erupted from her eyelids. She flinched, trying to go back to the soothing sleep but a voice broke in.

"Gally..Gally can you hear me?" Karna's voice came in shadowed and jagged. "Remember...You need to remember...about that crystal...We need to know..."

And her voice faded and the darkness again consumed Galena. "The crystal?"

She cupped her hands and could see it's shadow, feel the phantom warmth. "It's beautiful... but I'm not ready..."

"All you need to do is remember of it.. It does not mean you have to take it yet.."

Galena looked up and found the stars swimming around her until she was piston down into a familiar setting.

She looked around on the dead world. "Home.. it once was that.."

"Your memories are resurfacing quite rapidly."

"I need to ask.."

"About the crystal, yes, I know."

"How did you know?"

The voice laughed softly. Galena frowned. It sounded almost like her.

"Of course I'd sound like you..." The voice said gently.

"Where are you?"

"I'm trapped..."

"On the land?"

"No.."

"Then where?!" Galena growled.

And it formed, in front of her, in a misty form that was female but nothing more. "Where do you think?"

It spoke but it had no mouth, no eyes, no nose. Just a misty illusion that seemed to hover over Galena.

"What is the crystal?" Galena asked quietly.

"It was a symbol..." The spirit wove around the younger girl, her voice soft and tinged in sadness. "What was left of us.."

"But that girl.. I saw her break it."

"She thought it would be best but by then.."

"So it's gone?"

"No.." She pointed at Galena's chest, her finger barely touching. Fire wove through Galena as she grasped her chest in pain. "It lay in you and the others. It has been cleansed by the White Moon but it must be whole..."

"What happens if it's whole?"

"If in your hands, balance. In another, complete and utter destruction of the stars."

"But these worlds are dead"  
"Oh, they aren't dead..." The spirit began to fade into nothing, still wrapped around Galena. "They are sleeping, waiting for their human selves to reawaken..."

"You mean us, don't you?" Galena looked up at the nearly gone spirit. "I know who you are now."

"Good..."

"I want to set you free.."

"No. You cannot do such a thing."

"I'm going to, no if and or buts about it," Galena said simply.  
"You'd try to save me? Your human self is weak. All of our human selves were weak! Why do you think we caved in so easily!"

"Because you were lost! If we find each other..."

"We were banished from the others! We may be together but we can never be whole!"

"I'm still going to save you!" Galena called out. "We all deserve to be free and I won't take this like this! I will FIGHT!"

And around her, the land erupted into energy, life spreading rapidly into the air and around her feet.

"So be it.. My dearest Cancer... Accept this shard.."

The shard, as she touched it, melted into her. "Protect that at all costs. Help the others retrieve their own and when it comes time, we all be whole once more.."

"I won't give up..." Galena opened her eyes as blinding sunlight hit across her features. Karna slept kneeling on the side of the bed and Pollux lay beside her.

Thing was, he wasn't a cat anymore. And to top that, he completely nude.

"AUGH!!!!!!" 


	6. Chapter 6

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2006 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Six: Aqua

"AUGH! AUGH! AUGH!"

Karna jerked awake and nearly had a heart attack as the man jumped out of the bed. "YOU SICK SON OF..."

"STOP IT! Galena! Karna! It's me!" Pollux shouted. He used a small pillow to cover himself. "I...oh.. freaking.. what happened! Gally! Did you do something in your dream!" He howled.

"I took the shard..."

"You took the shard? You TOOK the SHARD?!" Pollux inched backwards, his entire body red.

Galena's head slowly tilted to the side. "Oh..wow... is that your tail or your..."

"GALENA!"

"GALENA!!"

Pollux turned tail and ran out of the room where he entered Demi's. Thing was, Castor slept peacefully as a cat still.

"Brother..." Pollux hissed. He poked Castor's belly.

"Leave me alone Demi.." Castor rolled over and opened his eyes. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"I need help! Make me a cat again!"

"What did Galena do?!"

"Let's see, she's on the verge on being whole once more and because of that, the link between her and I..."

"I know of THAT! But you can't stay like this! Not yet anyways..." Castor's head tilted to the side with a smile tugging at his mouth. "Are you...excited?"

"I'm going to KILL you!" Pollux grabbed his brother and began shaking. "AH ha! Who's the better now?"

"POLLUX! COVER YOURSELF!" Demi screamed as she entered. Pollux looked up from his crouch and his face paled. Something must have triggered in him as he reverted hurriedly into a cat.

"My heart...augh...I'm dead." He plopped over dramatically.

"What was that for? Since when can he do it? And can you?" Demi asked, not giving Castor a chance to answer.

"I don't know. And we're not supposed to and no, I CAN'T!"

"Polly!" Galena ran in and hurriedly picked him up. "Phew.. you're back to normal."

"Normal... NORMAL!? You think I'm supposed to be a .."

"POLLUX!"

"I can't take this anymore!" Pollux screamed. He jumped away from Galena, his body ridged and his tail shot up in the air. "Galena, I'm not supposed to be a cat! I was human!"

Galena turned her head into a tilt. "Poll...ux?" Her face slowly tinted red. "We... knew each other, didn't we?"

Demi frowned. "Where is this going?"

"No where, no where at all.. HA ahahahhahah..." Galena turned and fled.

"Pollux..."

"Oh shut up! You were in the same boat with Demi," Pollux retorted, walking out with as much dignity he could manage.

"C-a-s-t-o-r..." Demi was heard hissing.

"Oh.. Galena?" Pollux peeked in. He jumped on the bed and tried to remember how he became human. He didn't have that power, not anymore. So the only logical reason was Galena but surely, she didn't remember their past, now did she?

"We were more than friends, we were LOVERS!" Galena bit out, the door slamming shut. "And you, you tried to alienate me.."

Pollux flinched. "I had a good reason," He began.

"No! You hated me!"

"I never hated you!"

"But you were ... always mean.. I know I'm young but that doesn't excuse your actions.. What about my feelings?"

"Damnit! That's why I did it! I didn't want to see you get hurt!" Pollux found himself as a human yet again. "How did you just do that?"

"I wanted to look at you..." Galena answered softly.

"We cannot be! We will not! Not on my..."

But he gazed down into those eyes and knew he was breaking. "I watched you die... I suffered in that loneliness.. I don't want to watch you suffer anymore.." Pollux said thickly.

"But if you're here, I won't be in pain anymore.." Galena reached out. "If you're willing to wait for me..."

And his head fell down in defeat. And then, he blanched, realizing that fact that he was still nude. "You could've said something.." He said darkly.

"I did say I wanted to look at you.."

"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So he can take human form because she's gotten stronger?" Demi asked stiffly. "And they were a COUPLE? And let me guess, he still holds a torch, right?"

"Just like she does.." Castor began.

"Tell me, what did he mean by 'Same boat with Demi'?"

"Ah...Pass?"

"CASTOR!"

"It's always best to just.. err.. forget..." Castor backed away from the looming girl. "Come on, don't make me say it!"

"Answer me...Were we something important to each other?"

"Aren't we now?"

"Castor!" Demi threw her hands up, groaning. "And that's why you're such a hard ass! A prick! Some guy in a cat suit!"

"Hey, I can't become human..."

"Until I get stronger," Demi interrupted. "Why did you become a cat, Castor?"

"You were suffering..." Castor looked away. "I couldn't let you be alone but even then.."

"Castor.."

"No more! We are in the present, it's all different. The whole different species, I'm your guide, blah blah de blah..."

And Demi sighed.

Castor thought he'd be in the clear.

"I don't know whether to leave you alone or keep asking you," Demi said very quietly. "It's hard to know you're this senshi but no one will tell you anything."

"I want to, don't you think I don't? But look at me," Castor eyed his feline self. "We were not meant to be."

"Liar.." Demi grumbled as she stomped out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Come on Lila, pick something!" The black haired man grumbled. He was huge, buff and rather frightening looking. He stood towering over the young girl. She wore her black hair into high pigtails that separated into two more pigtails each that tied at the ends which trailed to her mid-back.

She turned to face her father. Her eyes were a sky blue, quite vibrant. They came out perfectly with the pale yellow flowered dress she was wearing. "But Daddy, I want something we both would watch."

He sighed heavily. "Come on Lila, it doesn't bother me."

"Oh and if I pick a mushy movie?"

He wove his hands in his thinning hair. "Get whatever. I probably won't watch as it is." He turned and wandered off to check out other, more interesting movies.

And Lila's eyes welled up before she looked down at the movie in her hand. It was all about family and it was just ironic that hers was falling out on the inside.

She sighed as she followed her father out of the rental store and she continued to sigh.

"I'm going into this hardware store. You can go look around the plaza if you want to."

"Okay..." She said hesitantly, watching him leave. She sighed even louder but her father ignored her as he left her, yet again.

She sat down on the curb and wondered what she was to do. She slowly drew her hand up and watched the sunlight glitter of the silver bracelet. The sign of Aquarius showered a mini rainbow of dotted lights along her face.

"Well, they could be my family," She said quietly. She normally wasn't so emotional but since finding this trinket, that had changed.

It'd been strange. It was at the bottom of a friend's pool but none of them knew who it belonged to.

Of course, she knew it was hers to begin with. The moment she touched it. But now, she didn't know what to do. She knew there must be others out there but she really didn't want to find them.

"In fact, I don't even want to use this. I mean, what good will it do?"

She watched as shadows passed over her from the clouds above.

Demi was walking back from work. She was currently also thinking of school and the eventual return to said school. Galena was excited but Demi, well, Demi didn't know what to do.

"Of course, I have like a month left of vacation.." Demi found her attention moving again to the Sol Senshi.

They were still around here, somewhere. But Demi hadn't seen them since the incident where Demi, as Gemini, used that immense power.

"Do we need them? I mean, that was pretty powerful..." Demi felt a strange prick at the back of her neck and she rubbed the back of it angrily.

"It's like my senses are trying to..." Demi caught sight of Lila. "The bracelet..."

Lila was so lost in thought, she was unaware of Demi until the dark shadow over passed her.

"Oh.. Can I help you?" Lila asked, a bit stiffly.

"Um.. that's really pretty. Where'd you get it?" Demi touched the bracelet slightly.

"Found it. Yours?"

"Ah...a dream, kind of."

"You're Gemini, aren't you?"

"Well, yea... you must be uh..."

Lila smiled slightly. "Don't know the Zodiac signs very well? It's Aquarius."

"I'm Demi Helen," Demi offered her hand and they shook.

"I'm Dalila Laramie. But everyone calls me Lila."

"That's a pretty name," Demi sat next to her. "So how long did you have that?"

"Since last weekend. My friend has a birthday party and I found it in the bottom of the pool."

"It's strange, huh? The way these things keep popping up."

"Probably just trying to get our attention. So, are you, like, the only one?"

"No, so far I've met up with Cancer, she's my little sister."

"Really?"

"Uh huh. And then there's Capricorn but her name is actually Yale. Then there's Leo, or rather Tategami and then there's Taurus. She's Yale Angus."

"Yale?"

"You know her?"

"She goes to my school. She's that kind that likes girls, right?"

"I guess."

"There's either yes or no. No guessing about things like that," Lila said dryly.

"You never know! They could be confused.."

"I don't think Yale is," Lila rolled her eyes. "She flirts with EVERY girl."

"Including you?" Demi smirked.

"WHAT?! NO! No!" She burst out into nervous laughter.

"Lila?" Her father called out as he came out with a brown bag. Whatever could be heard inside clattered. "Let's go."

"Hold on, Daddy. You want to come over with me? My dad can give you a ride home."

Demi thought for a moment. "Sure but as soon as we get to your place, I should call my mom."

"Sure. Daddy! Do you mind if I bring a friend?" Lila called out. Her father looked over his shoulder, sizing up Demi.

"Sure."

The ride was quiet as the two sat in the back, whispering to each other. Occasionally, a giggle was heard as Mr. Laramie raised an eyebrow. He shrugged every time as he continued to pay attention to the road.

Lila's home was modest and well tended to. It was a single story, with a wide front door frame, the patio stretching across to the sides.

"It's really pretty," Demi murmured.

"Yea, it's nice. My dad constructed it."

"You're kidding!"

"My dad's an 'artist' as he puts it," Lila shrugged. "No big deal." But she was blushing, as if she were happy that her father was an artist. "I'll show you to a phone."

They entered, Lila's father had gone into the garage while they went actually inside. Lila pointed to a small phone and Demi dutifully phoned home.

"Hello, Helen residence. May I ask who's calling?" Mr. Helen said jovially.

"Hi Dad. I'm at a new friend's house and..."

"New?"

"Oh yea, I just met..."

"I don't know, honey. You need to be careful about who.."

"DAD! She's fine. She's cool, okay? I'm fine. I AM sixteen!"

"All right, all right.. Guess I just wanted to be a little more involved.." He trailed off.

Demi stared at the phone. "Dad..." She began carefully. "I can take care of myself. I'm FINE. Now, I can get a ride home so I'll be back in what, two, three hours?" She eyed Lila who nodded.

"Fine, fine. You know, Yale is over."

"Oh yea? Well, she can hang out with Gally."

"Gally's a little too young..."

"Trust me, they get along really well. Okay then, I'll see you later. Love you bye." She hung up before he could say anything else.

"What? Was he nervous?"

"Err.. he kind of knows about us..."

"Us how?"

"That well, his two daughters are senshi."

"Oh dear. That'd be too much pressure."

"Hmm... Maybe I should've just let Luna wipe their minds. Oh well..." Demi sighed.

"Here, I'll give you a tour." Demi followed around the home, each room carefully decorated and seemingly organized into a rather certain fashion. But Demi couldn't quite put her finger on that.

"And here is my room," Lila smiled. "Please... err. don't touch anything, okay?" She tried to say that as friendly as possible.

Demi raised an eyebrow and saw many pastel colors ranging on the dark side over the highly decorated room.

"Gee.. how often to clean this room?" Demi joked.

"Everyday."

"W...what?"

"I clean it every day. Like all the other rooms."

Demi slowly thought on that. "You, err, wouldn't be a obsessive compulsive, would you?"

"I'm more of a perfectionist," Lila stroked her chin. "Maybe a little obsessive, I guess. That's what my dad used to say."

"Used to?"

"Yea, he kinda stopped that for a long time now."

"Don't get along well?" She couldn't resist reaching out to see if a vase of flowers were actually flowers.

"DON'T TOUCH!" Lila grasped Demi's hand. "Please, those were my mother's."

"Oh... I'm sorry. I just wanted to see if they were alive or not."

Lila smiled, gently smoothing a single petal. "They're fabric. My dad got her these on their first anniversary with real ones. These were supposed to be a joke but Mama loved these."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Demi said, for a lack of anything else.

"Oh.. my mother isn't dead."

"So your parents are divorced?"

"Well.. now they are," Lila coughed, trying to clear her throat. "Um.. my mom's in prison."

"Oh dear.. Um..."

Lila smiled. "It's okay to not know what to say. I still don't."

"How long is she in for?" Demi asked without thinking. "I MEAN, err, don't have to answer if you don't want to.." She trailed off.

"Until I turn like thirty. Around that long."

"Must of been serious.." Demi mentally kicked herself.

"Gee, no one's actually bothered to ask me anything," Lila smiled broadly. "It makes me feel a lot better actually talking about her. Well, she was into drugs and dealing as well as fraud."

"God..." Demi flinched. "I'm really, really sorry if I keep sounding like a bitch."

"You're fine.." Lila turned around and gently moved the flowers into an alternate position before placing it back into the same as before. "I don't know how to arrange this. Oh well..." She gently stroked the silk flowers before reaching next to it to pull up a rag and a spray.

"Um... since you like honesty.." Demi began. "I think you might be obsessive compulsive. These look pretty clean already."

"I know.." Lila began cleaning anyways. "But I just want to make sure."

Demi walked around the room, careful to NOT touch anything. She saw a few photos but nothing about family pictures seemed to exist.

She did find several awards. "You in the water polo team?"

"As well as swimming team. I like to swim. Helps clear my mind, you know?" Lila put down the cleaning items and looked out of the window. "It's rather quiet."

Demi looked out and for a moment, there was nothing. And then suddenly, a car in the front blew into flames.

"AUGH!" Demi jumped back. "Who did that?"

"We need to get outside," Lila ran out of the room, Demi following.

"Something's not right. Where's the problem coming from?" Demi asked to Lila.

"Hee hee..." A snake wove around the flaming car. "I new I could get your attention ssssooo easssily..."

"Who are you?" Lila demanded.

Demi gaped. "You...you're..."

"I am Ophiuchussss, yess..." The snake was a large black anaconda, with three gray horns jutting out from its skull. It's eyes were a eerie yellow and it's tongue lashed out, long and forked. "Now, be good girlsss... Give me the Celessstial crysstal..."

"The what?" Lila blinked. Demi frowned.

"It's gone!" She began.

Pleasssse... I can still feel it, pulssating on thisss plane. Give it to me," he hissed before reforming into a male figure.

His skin was gray, still scaly. He was bald, with the same jutting horns but his eyes became more human, just still yellow. His lower body however, was a long, long tail.

"I don't know what you think you're doing but it's going to stop!" Demi shouted.

"A ha aha ha ha..."

"Lila!"

"Right!"

Gemini Celestial Power, Make Up!"

"Aquarius Celestial Power, Make Up!" A orb of water engulfed her before it burst, the water spilling outwards into mini rivers and streams.

Her sigma, Aquarius, was upon her brow and she had yellow tear drop earrings. Her choker was must like the same as the others, only the top was white and the bottom was yellow with the same yellow star in its center.

Her collar was blue but the edges were outlined as if by a magnitude of bubbles. The brooch was blue and heart shaped, with a yellow star in its center and the three round gems at each lower side. Her fuku was divided only under her breasts by a yellow band. The fuku was blue for the most part until the edge of the skirt, which was also edged as if in bubbles.

Her gloves covered three fourths of her arms. The top edge and her wrist wrapped in yellow beads. From her forearm to her wrist, the fabric was white but the hand section, the fingers cut off, was blue. Her shoes went to her ankles and were like sandals. There was a strap across the tops of her toes with a perpendicular strap between her big toe and the one next to it. There was another blue strap across the top of the foot and then another around her ankle. This strap was edged in yellow beads.

"I am the soldier of the constellation of the Twins, Sailor Gemini!"

"And I am the soldier of the constellation of the Water Carrier, Sailor Aquarius!"

"In the name of the Zodiac and Earth, be prepared to be defeated!"

"Ma hah aha ha ha haa!" Ophiuchus burst out laughing. "Oh dear, you are all ssso wrong..." he breathed. "I cannot be defeated. Esssspecially by sssuch weak versssionsss." His smile grew as he bared his fangs, dripping in a black essence.

"We won't give up!" Gemini raised her hand. "Gemini Dual Winds!" She blasted her attack at Ophiuchus.

"Begone!" He called out as he raised his hands, the palms pressed together as his fingers stretched out. The attack sucked into his hands and he blasted it back out at her.

"Watch out!" Aquarius called out, a little too late. Gemini was flown back by her own attack and she swore, standing up with a very pissed look.

"That's not fair! How could you do that?" She demanded.

"I am Ophiuchusss, the Dark Zodiac.. I am everything and anything..."

"Bite my ass! Gemini Dual Blade!" She called out, the weapon forming in her fist. "Gemini Space Airstreams!"

The attack, now doubled, lunged out and Ophiuchus couldn't suck all of it as he was thrown back. The wind actually blew out the car on fire so they had something less to worry about.

"AH ha...Liked.. that.. didn't..." Gemini passed out, untransforming.

"Demi! Demi!" Aquarius turned around as a hiss was heard. Ophiuchus was, for the most part, unhurt. "How dare you hurt an ally! Aquarius..."

"DON'T!" A voice rang out.

The inner senshi of the Sol system, as well as Sailor Moon with her Tuxedo Kamen, landed close by.

"What?" Aquarius frowned.

"I don't think it would be wise for you to attack WITHOUT a water source," Sailor Mercury said quietly.

"Says you!" Aquarius turned and blanched as the man snake tilted his head, sticking his tongue out rather suggestively. "Sick little..."

"Hee hee..." He raised a hand as his voice rang out. "Come out, my possessed! Retrieve the celestial Heavenly Crystal for me!"

And he turned into black stars, disappearing into air. In his steed, Libra appeared.

"Libra..." Aquarius blinked. She moved forward slowly.

"Don't come closer..." Libra looked up, her eyes shot. "Or I will KILL you.."

Aquarius frowned. "Come on, Libra. What's the matter with you?"

"I said DON'T COME CLOSER!!" Libra grasped at her side, her sword forming. "Libra Justice Blade!" She cut at the air into two and the action caused the air to push outward dual-fold.

Aquarius raised her hands, unable to actually block the action itself. As a result, she was thrown back hard onto her patio. She winced, struggling to get up.

"Oh.." She heard Demi moan.

"You.. you're no ally of ours..." Aquarius grunted. "Aquarius Raging Waters!" Water dripped into her palms as she guided the two streams into one huge river, blasting out at Libra. She struggled to keep it up but she finally realized why the other senshi didn't want her to attack.

"Oh.." Her mouth became dry as her vision blurred. Her skin was thickening, she felt suffocated and she passed out with a gurgled cry.

Libra had been thrown back by the attack and the pressure was enough to do more damage to her as well. She struggled up still, her dead eyes glinting. "Ha.. Ha...That was... fun.." She raised her hand, the Justice Sword glinting.

"STOP IT!" Eternal Sailor Moon moved to the front of the fallen girls. "Why are you doing this? They are your friends!"

"Friends.. FRIENDS? Sailor Libra has no friends.." She hissed darkly. "I belong to one and one alone! My dear, dear Dark Zodiac!" She began to laugh.

"Arin..." Sailor Moon tried to reach out.

"Heh heh... Arin was a fool, not to mention weak," Libra's eyes tinted black, peeking out from half closed lids. Her smile was cold, her lips a frozen color. "So easy to manipulate.."

"But.. but you are Arin!" Sailor Moon began in earnest.

"Once upon a time, perhaps but now..." She swung the sword. "Libra Sword Cut!" The energy in the sword pent up until the end of the swing where it exploded out into a shower of stars.

"Sailor Moon!"

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"

The attack easily destroyed the coming one from Libra and each also hit her. She screamed as she fell down in a slumped position. Her arms wrapped around her, her fuku tattered and several cuts bleeding.

"You...you foul things..." She rasped.

"We can help you.." Sailor Moon raised her Eternal Tier. "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy..."

But while the energy spilled into the weapon, Sailor Libra teleported away as she seemed to faint.

"Great. We knew someone from them couldn't be trusted and it ends up being the soldier of balance. Is that ironic or not?" Venus asked.

"Oh shut up, Minako," Mars shook her head. "Are they all right?" She asked Mercury.

"Just like before, the energy used by Gemini was too much and she passed out before going at full capacity. For Aquarius... well, from what Setsuna told me, she uses water but it HAS to be nearby."

"Or else?" Jupiter asked for the others.

"Or else she'll just the water in her own system. She's severely dehydrated. We need to get her to the hospital now." Sailor Mercury untransformed. The others followed suit and began to move toward them The other reached Demi as Ami studied Lila before a shadow over passed her.

"What.. what HAPPENED?" Mr. Laramie gaped. "My child... what did you DO?" He screamed at Ami, shocking her. He picked his daughter up gingerly.

"She passed out. She's dehydrated. She needs to go to the..."

"What? What happened to the other girl? Why are they both passed out?" Mr. Laramie demanded.

Makoto had inched over to the older man and quickly pressed that one muscle that would knock him out. And it did, quite well as he fainted.  
"Great... what do we do now?" Minako snapped at Makoto.

"I don't know! He shouldn't have come out!" Makoto barked back.

"Let's get the girl inside. Maybe she'll recuperate without hospital needs." Ami sighed. 


	7. Chapter 7

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2006 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Seven: Sea Life

A young girl stood at the beach, staring out at the glistening seas. She was lost in thought but she couldn't exactly pinpoint what she was thinking entirely.

Her green hair was wild, cut haphazardly and unevenly. Her eyes were a sky blue and she was rather tan. She had little curves, a well built body akin to that of a naturally born swimmer.

She began to wade into the sea, her eyes turning blank. She felt that urge to dive in and to just melt into the water.

But a memory, still well embedded in her mind flashed.

She was thrashing, screaming. But water was seeping in, sucking the air from her lungs, drowning her. She was sobbing and she saw alternate colors of black and white.

She felt it then, underneath her chubby, child fingers. A animal, a sea creature pulled her to the surface.

It had been a dolphin. Known to have a kind streak, she had stroked it's moist skin and felt it, a shock of feelings, thoughts. It was muddled and she fainted afterwards but she did catch one single word.

'Pisces..'

Her thoughts broke free and she pulled away from the water. "One of these days, I'll swim this big, wonderful ocean."

She sighed tiredly. "But unlikely today."

She entered the town, walking lightly. She tried to remember her plans but as always, once she had thought of them, those plans flew out of her head. One of the aftereffects, her parents and doctor said.

Thankfully, she was used to writing things down now. "Let's see," She rummaged in her purse, absently walking down the street. She began to cross the intersection, failing to note the 'do not walk' flashing.

And with a screeching, honking car headed her way, her eyes grew big as she became a deer trapped.

A body slammed into her, throwing her to the side. A group of girls were calling out.

"Are you all right?" A young man, with black hair cropped closely to his scalp and deep blue eyes, studied her hurriedly. She noted that he had a rather interesting accent.

"Say, is English like a second language for you?"

"Yes, it is," He smiled as he helped her up.

"Are you stupid! The light was flashing!" A raven haired raged.

"Rei, shush! She's all right now," Ami soothed.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to find my list of things to do.."

"Oh?" Minako grinned. "Here, let me..."

"NO! I have to do it myself or else I'll forget."

She noticed the strange looks. "I have a really bad memory. I had a accident when I was just a kid and..."

She had resumed fiddling in her purse and pulled her hand out, the bracelet dragging out with the paper. She watched it fall in slow motion as she merely blinked.

"This... I've seen this before with the.. others," Makoto murmured.

"Do you.. know what this is?" Ami asked softly.

Kerri blinked, staring at the bracelet. "It's my sign. See, I was born in March, on the 20th, and so that makes me a .."

"No, no..." Minako glanced at the others. "I mean... do you know how.. important.. this is?"

Kerri blinked. "Say... are you also Zodiac senshi?! HEY! I'm not the only one? I thought you all died or something."

"Err.. we're not exactly the ..." Rei started.

"Oh boy! It's a hot day today! Summer's always a grand time. I wish I could go swimming but I'd just end up drowning."

"Uh.. excuse.." Ami began.

"Are you hungry?"

"Oh boy, am I!" Usagi instantly agreed.

She looked at Usagi with a grin. "Come on down to the chow bucket! My mom and stepdad run a great fish restaurant!"

"Yea!" Usagi danced happily and Kerri began to dance with her.

"Say! What's your name?" Kerri beamed. "Name's Kerri Fisk!"

"I'm Usagi Tsukino.."

"Wait! Wait! Let me write this down," She pulled out a tiny pad.

"Err..." Usagi waited until Kerri nodded. "Usagi Tsukino."

"I'll just write that as it sounds. Is that okay? Okay! Your names?"

"Rei Hino."

"Makoto Kino."

"Ami Mizuno."

"Minako Aino."

"Mamoru Chiba."

They were all watching each other with a strange look. "You got that down now?"

Kerri gave another beaming smile as she finished writing the names. "So you are Usagi, Rei, Makoto, Ami, Minako, and Mamoru?" She asked, pointing to each named person.

Minako couldn't help it. "Are you stupid or something?"

Kerri's smile faded. "Wha..what? I'm.. I'm not stupid." Her eyes filled with unspilled tears as she looked away. "I'm sorry.. my memory was ruined.. I am .. very..." She was trying to not look at the paper as she hiccupped. "Min..mina..."

"Minako," Ami gently told her. "She didn't mean it, really. It's very nice to meet you, Kerri."

"I would love to go eat!" Usagi stated, smiling warmly at the girl who smiled suddenly.

"I like you! We should be allies!"

Usagi blinked before nodding. "All right."

She led them to a small, quaint restaurant, much like a mom-and-pop that many locals, especially near the beaches, liked to go to for its seafood.

"Mama! Mama!" Kerri called out. A older woman, a plump, green-haired with dark blue eyes, exited the kitchen, a small wave of heat following her as she beamed.

"Mermaid! I was wondering what you were up to!" She said cheerfully. "And who are these?"

"Customers!" Kerri beamed. "And new friends!"

"Wonderful! Please have a seat, won't you?"

"The tall man saved me Mama! I was walking across the street and a car jumped at me!" Kerri still spoke rather cheerfully as her mother's face paled of color.

"Today at least, you'll all get free meals," she said, her eyes suddenly bright. "My poor baby.."

Kerri blinked. "Mama?" She asked hesitantly as she watched the older woman leave. "I made her sad again.."

"KERRI!"

"Stevie!" Kerri smiled broadly at the younger boy by about four years. He had pale blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and a scrawny look to his body. Everything about him was stretched, even though he was average height, it gave the impression that he was taller than seemed.

"Where'd you go? The beach again? You can't swim in it!" He told his older sister firmly.

"What were you doing earlier?" Kerri asked.

"Dad came by."

Kerri's face instantly closed in. "Oh, how nice.." Her tone said otherwise. She obviously didn't hold much of a candle to her father.

"He was talking about taking the boys camping," their mother said, coming in with a plate carrying a pitcher of water and several glasses.

"And nothing about me?" Kerri asked flatly.

Her mother looked down, avoiding the group's gaze. "I'm sorry honey. Would you like to do something with me and Henry?"

"No thank you."

She sighed as she looked at her middle child. "I'm sure eventually you'll feel better. Why not hang out with your friends? I'll make you your favorite!"

"Shrimp-cabob?"

"Coming right up!"

"Yea!"

She sat down with the group, beaming. "All the food here is wonderful so don't worry about what you pick! Henry and Mama know how to cook everything just right!"

"How'd you get so many people over?" Stevie asked noisily.

"This man.. Mam...Ma.. no, don't help me please," She said without looking at the others, even though Makoto had her mouth open. "Mamoru saved me from a car."

Stevie's eyes were blank. "You need to be more careful." It was the same speech anyone in her family gave her, anytime she was in any type of danger.

"I will be!" She beamed. "I have allies now!"

Stevie slowly arched an eyebrow but didn't question. "I'll see you later. I'm going to find Jeff."

"Tell Mama!" She shouted as her little brother left.

"I already did!" He called back as he disappeared out of the building.

"So, who's hungry?" She asked happily, opening the menu. "Oh right, I've already ordered!"

The meal finished in over an hour, Makoto was grinning broadly. "This a really cute place! It's inspirational!"

"Inspirational?" Kerri tilted her head before she smiled at Makoto. "I suppose it is. Mama says this is her biggest dream right here!"

"Correction," Mrs. Fisk smiled. "My second biggest dream. Being a mother was my top priority," she beamed at her daughter. "She's the middle child. Her older brother and sister live with their father at the moment, finishing up some things. I have her and the two younger boys with me."

"It must be hard to have so many," Minako breathed.

"Oh yes but it's worth it. Especially when they mean a great deal," her hand ran affectionally through her daughter's hair. "We have to keep a close eye on Mermaid. She has a forgetful memory but her heart is always in the right place." She impulsively hugged her, her eyes misting. "I'm sorry about your father. I tried talking to him but.."

"It's okay, Mama. I'm hard to handle.." Kerri stated evenly, a monotone tune.

"No, you're not," She sighed. "I just wish I left him a long time ago."

Kerri looked down at the table. "I'm sorry Mama. If I hadn't.."

"Oh no, no, not your fault sweetie!" She began instantly, her face worried. "I'm sorry, I tend to go off tangent. Did your new friends enjoy the food?"

"They like the atmosphere!"

"Perfect!" She nodded to them. "No need to pay. Thank you for coming and being friends with Kerri. Honey, make sure you're home on time, all right?"

"Yes Mama!" She watched her mother leave, one of the waiters coming over to collect the used plates. "She's very protective."

Kerri followed them out, watching them with a blank gaze, her thoughts turned inward.

"If you're not the Zodiac, then how do you know of me?" She asked suddenly.

She reached into her pocket, digging out her bracelet. "Here, take it." She offered it to Ami who only shook her head. She went to Minako whose eyes were looking down. "Why won't you take it?"

"It's yours," Usagi closed the other girl's fingers around the bracelet. "It's a part of you."

"That's the problem!" Kerri began. "This is something I don't want!"

"But wouldn't you like to meet the other Zodiac?" Usagi asked gently.

She was surprised as the green haired girl's eyes flashed. "NO! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!"

Her screams triggered the bracelet, short beams of light lighting her fist as she cried out and dropped it. "I don't want it! I don't want to! We're not here! We're not real! We're not...!"

Fingers dug into her shoulders as Usagi shouted. "STOP IT!" Her eyes filled with tears. "I have never seen such people.. any warriors.. any senshi like this. Full of fear of their own powers!" She pulled Kerri in and sobbed. "I'm so sorry!"

Kerri looked up at the skies, a flock of birds flying high. "If only we could be free like them.." She pointed to them, Usagi following her outstretched hand.  
She began to follow the birds, her feet slowly taking off as she gave a shout of joy. "I want to fly!" She shouted.

Usagi hurriedly picked up the bracelet, running after the girl.

Demi, Galena, and Yale were walking with each other. Tategami and Lila were tailing behind, whispering softly.

"You ain't be talkin' about me, would you?" Yale asked suddenly, hopefully.

"Oh no, it was about this!" Lila offered the magazine, where skinny models stood stock still.

"Bleh.." Galena rolled her eyes. "They're ugly!"

"They're very pretty!" Lila stated firmly. "They're perfect models!"

"Don't get out much, do ya?" Yale snickered. Lila eyed her. "What?"

"You look good dressed like that. Are those boy clothes?"

"My brother's. He lets me wear his outgrown set."

"Sounds like a nice person."

"Yea.. don't know where he got it.." Yale turned away to see Kerri running across from them, over onto the beach.

"HEY!" She saw Kerri begin to struggle into the water. "Stop her!" They turned and saw the other girls.

"What are you doing here?" Demi tried to ask but they ignored her and followed Kerri who was now waist deep in the cold water.

"Hey!" Kerri shouted. "HEY! I want to..." She suddenly became aware of the freezing water. "I... mama.. mama? No.. I'm trapped.. not.. not...again.. MAMA!" Her fingers began to itch, her arms thrashing as she howled. "MAMA!"

The water surged in a whirlpool, Kerri in the center. This didn't help alleviate her at all as she began to scream on the top of her lungs. The water turned wild, thrashing as she screamed louder and louder.

"KERRI!" Makoto shouted. Minako shouted as well but they couldn't get her attention.

"We need to get her out of there!" Ami cried out. "She'll drown at this process!"

"GALLY!"

Galena had snagged the bracelet from the open palm of Usagi and went into the churning water. She nearly lost her footing but gritted her teeth.

"I may be little.. but she will listen! SHE WILL!" She told herself. She straightened and shouted as loudly as she could. "PISCES!"

She got a response instantly, the figure slowly turning. The fear was there, the face white as a ghost, eyes wide open. "Cancer.. please.. help me..."

Galena offered her hand. "It's all right...It'll be all right.."

The water suddenly began to thrash even more and Kerri turned away. "IT'S HIM!" She screamed.

Galena shouted. "Cancer Celestial Power, Make Up!" She felt herself transform, her eyes blazing in energy. She felt different but didn't take notice of it. "Cancer Water Barrier!"

The water swarmed and blocked off the coming tidal wave. "You have to transform!" She shouted to Kerri.

"I'm afraid.."

"We all are but we have each other! Don't be afraid.."

Kerri saw the bracelet upon the ground. They were in a bubble of air, the water surging around them. Her fingers stretched out and as she grasped it, words poured out. "Pisces Celestial Power, Make Up!"

The sign of Pisces blazed upon her brow, her fuku swimming in turquoise ribbons. She had a crisscross choker, the top half white, the bottom turquoise. There was a yellow star clasped in its center. She had a turquoise collar void of any design. Her bodice was white but the sides of her body was lined in turquoise. Her waistband was flat and jade green, the skirt two layered, the top turquoise and the bottom jade green. She had turquoise protectors and turquoise sandals clasped over the toes and ankle, a vertical strap connecting the two. Her brooch was heart shaped and turquoise, a yellow five pointed star in its center, three round gems on each side.

Her hair fluttered in the wind. "On the count of three, I'm letting up!" Sailor Cancer called out. Pisces closed her eyes in preparation.

She heard it, the running water to claim her. "Not this time!" She shouted as she added. "Pisces Tsunami Rage!"

The water gathered around her and for a moment, she felt a old panic before it fled, leaving behind another, far more older, emotion. She spread her fingers, the water swarming closer before her eyes flashed open. The water shot out at all directions before her world turned black.

Cancer instinctively picked her up. She wasn't thinking as she and the other were to safety. She looked up and saw her sister staring at her with wide, shocked eyes.

"What?"

She then noticed the problem with her voice. Softer, gentler, not as high pitched as a young girl. She looked down and jumped away from the group. "Oh my GOD!"

She was still with the mentality of a ten-year-old, but her body was now that of a older self. She realized that this body was even older than her own sister!

"What.."

Yale snapped her fingers. "You took the shard, remember? You've gotten more.. powerful?" She tilted her head. "Wow! You're going to look hot when you get older!"

"YALE!" Demi shouted. "For the love of all mankind, transform back!"

Cancer blinked. "You don't like..."

"You're TEN!"

Galena untransformed. "Even though I was still older.. you still didn't listen.. no one listens to me!" She cried out as she ran down the street, away from her sister.

"Galena!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She was still sniffling when Karna bumped into her. "Taurus!" Galena latched onto the other girl who choked back a sob. "Oh.. god! Little Cancer, I failed us!"

Galena tugged on her arm. "Please, sit with me!"

Karna staggered to bended knees, her eyes welled up with tears. "He took her.. he took her from me.."

"Who?" Galena's voice was thick. "Who took who?"

"Ophiuchus.. he took her.. he took Libra.."

Galena blinked. "Are you all right?"

She reached out only to feel Karna smack it away. "Leave me alone," her voice came out bitterly. "I'm a disgrace.. worthless in the eyes of everyone that knows me.."

She struggled to her feet.

"Karna, you're hurt!" Galena grasped out at the other girl only to feel herself get slammed into the wall, lifted high enough that her feet dangled in the air.

"Little Cancer.." The voice hissed out of the possessed girl. Her eyes turned black and the sneer was sharp on her face. "Time is ticking.. child.."

"Get away from her!" Haruka had appeared, followed by Setsuna. Karna's fingers had to be pried. "What the hell.."

She let out a hiss before her body became rigid.

"She needs help! Someone please! Save her!" Galena cried out.

"But what's the matter with her!?" Haruka began.

Galena began to cry, her wails echoing in the streets. Michiru attempted to calm the distraught girl but her wails only grew louder.

"I don't wanna do this!" She screamed finally. "No one listens! No one cares! We're all going to die because we won't listen to each other! It's my fault! It's my..."

A hand reached out from no where and a smack across the cheeks caused Galena to cease her wails.

"I have never met such a wild, emotional girl in my life. You're just like you were in the freaking past," Pollux told her grimly. He had taken human form, finding it far more easier but slowly ebbing his strength out by a trickle.

"Polly..." Galena sniffled before she threw herself into his arms. He sighed and held her closer. "I'm sorry.. but Karna.."

The other girl had finally gone slack, the rigidity melting away as her eyes fluttering.

"Let.. me go.." She whispered through puffy lips.

"You're sick," Setsuna murmured.

"I'm poisoned.." Karna attempted to lift herself but tried to not accept Setsuna's help. "Because he tried to take me.. it won't be long now..."

"But you need to be helped.." Galena pulled out of Pollux's arms. "Why won't you let me help you!?"

"What can you do?" Karna stood as straight as possible. "I was the one at fault.." Her voice came out painfully. "I thought if we were by each other.. but she didn't even bother to fight.."

"Libra is confused..." A voice came out. Kerri pushed through, her eyes wide. "She's trapped even more so because she's so easily attained. If we can just reach out.." Kerri smiled as she held out a hand. Karna instinctively reached out and their fingers touched.

Galena smiled as she placed her hands on the two grasped. "See, we can be a team!"

"I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news," Yale began. "But uh, we're drawin' attention here."

"Well... This is fun.." Pollux said finally. "I think I'm going to head on home and hide for a few days."

He winked at Galena and let Demi by him. "Why can't your brother be human?" Demi asked suddenly.

"Because a certain person has yet to accept her own shard," was the answer thrown over his shoulder effortlessly. Galena was watching him leave, a strange look in her eyes. Demi scrunched her face suspiciously.

"Tell me, Galena? When did you fall in love with Polly?" She asked dryly.

"It's like.. not love," Galena flushed. "Leave me alone.." She went off to follow Pollux, who was waiting by the flashing stop sign.

"Ah... If that's the case, what about Castor?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What about me?" Castor lounged on her bed, his legs hidden underneath him as he watched her. Until she began to change, he promptly turned around. When he heard nothing else, he turned back around.

His eyes bugged out, seeing Demi clad in only revealing lingerie, the bra fringed in lace and the panties curving around her hips with ease. "So, what do you think?"

If he could, he'd get a nose bleed but he merely sneezed. "I.. uh.. shouldn't you.. uh... how about... um.."

"Well?"

"Do you have to look like that? Get dressed woman!" He jumped off the bed and dived under it, hiding effectively the sight of Demi in lingerie.

"What, am I that ugly?" She meant to say it jokingly. "Castor.. for the love of God, why won't you tell me anything? We were lovers too? Did we mean anything to each other? Am I too weak for you? Too what, come on, tell me already!" She nearly wailed.

His head poked out, his feline eyes glittering. "If I could do things differently..."

"Then become human!"

"I CAN'T!"

"Because I'm weak!"

"No and yes.." He said hesitantly. "When you were.. punished, we were not, Pollux and I. We knew we couldn't live.. without you... and chose to be cursed as well."

"Being feline was fine. You gave me your own power to become human but the time lasting drained out until we both realized that to be human meant death for one of us. But by then, it didn't matter.. It came then, a nightmare."

"That curse that took all of us, all of you and your beautiful stars, it swallowed us. I had to watch you die first because.. because..."

"I didn't want to see you die.." Her eyes were wide. "You.. loved me that much?"

"No matter what form I took, what I take, all I ever wanted..." He didn't get to finish as he watched her fall to her knees.

"Just like me to be selfish," her voice was a whisper. "Expecting everything from you and acting like I never cared.." Her eyes filled with tears. "I just wish.. I knew how to make it better.."

As a feline, what could he do but sit there? He moved over and purred, rubbing himself against her, his eyes also filled with tears. 


	8. Chapter 8

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2007 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Eight: Driven

Demi ran, her feet moving but the ground still as a still frame. The dead world underneath her frightened her, dragged her to it, the darkness dripping out.

'I'm sorry!' She thought painfully. 'I'm so sorry! This is my fault.. I'm not strong enough!'

"Not sssstrong enough..." a soft, silky voice echoed around her, puncturing her ears and pain ran through her. "I can make you sssstronger, Gemini..."

"Who's there?" Demi swerved, her fuku forming effortlessly. The darkness fled momentarily to grasp around her ankles and she fell into the earth, swallowed by the hovering night.

Some slick, smooth, and cool brushed her face, laying down in a heap. A soft hiss, another press of coolness and she was staggering to her feet with no avail.

"No!" She begged. "No!"

"Why be afraid? I am the one you ssseek... I can make you whole... Gemini..."

"No!" She screamed, ripping her body away from the ground and the darkness fled once more. She huddled tightly, sobbing.

'Why do you cry?' A soft, familiar voice spoke to her.

"It hurts.. I can't do anything!"

'But you are doing something.. you rejected the Poison...'

"But I can't help Castor.. I can't do anything! I'm not powerful enough!"

'We were never to be alone..' The voice was sad. 'Why be powerful alone when together, we are whole?'

She looked up with a tearstained face. "But we all try so hard to be apart.."

'Cancer doesn't.. have you ever thought to listen?'

"I'm the older sister!" She retorted.

'Why does it bother you so? Did you want to be in charge?' The voice had taken a teasing tone. 'Gemini was always bossy...'

"I'm not just Gemini!" Demi stood up, her vision blurring. "It hurts to be Gemini.. I can't..."

She pressed her knuckles to her lips. "Castor.. He loved me all this time.. he cared and I did nothing but yell. He gave his life and let me go first.. why can't I help him?"

'Without the shard, you cannot be more complete..'

"Then give it to me!" She cried out painfully.

'I cannot.. you must be ready and your heart is not.'

"Galena was!"

'She wants to be a team. She wants to help save! What would bring you to accept? To help a lost love? To try to renew old emotions better left alone?! Selfish child!'

She glared out in the dead air. "Selfish? SELFISH! I wasn't the one to decide to die first!"

A sob, heart wrenching, came out, echoing around her. 'I know! I know this already! It hurt seeing him.. to fall down. I was losing the one I was destined for but I couldn't.. couldn't take him with me.. I chose to give my life to save him, but it failed. It always did. His warmth, his touch.. his everything was lost..'

"But he's still here.." Demi began hesitantly.

'And we still love him..' the voice sounded drained, tired. 'Oh, dear Gemini, how can you accept a shard on a notion? Is it for love or to make his life easier?'

"I.. I.. Castor.." She could remember finding him, huddled in a dirty, thrown out cardboard box, the top barely hanging on as the cat pushed back into the far reaches. He hadn't hissed at her open hands, accepting her gratefully.

He had taken to her, before even letting on that he could talk. And even then, he attempted to treat her as an equal, someone he could talk one to one with.

And she treated him as a cat, despite the growing feeling that there was more to him, that maybe her heart was in the right place, that maybe she was, truly was..

"I love him," she said simply. "I don't care what form he takes, I just want him near me, to be my strength, my savior.."

'Love is a powerful tool that many often discard. But there are those who see it for it is, a strength, power that gives us something far more than anything else..'

A blinding light filled Demi's gaze before a shard presented itself to her. 'Take it. I have no need for it anymore...'

"Are you leaving?" Demi asked weakly.

'I can never leave..' The voice sounded more and more tired. 'I am forever lost... forever cursed... this was our fall. I only hope that we can be saved again...'

She awoke, falling off her bed as she blinked furiously, the grime sticking the eyelids together painfully.

"God, my head hurts.."

"So does mine!" Castor's voice squeaked out from underneath her, the blanket having dragged by Demi which meant that Castor had been dragged down. His tail moved furiously as he wiggled and twisted.

She reached out and plucked him by the scruff, eyeing him. "You didn't turn human," she pointed out. He glared at her.

"Polly! POLLY!" Galena came in, blinking innocently. "I was going to give Polly a bath. Do you know where he is?"

"Cats don't bathe."

"But he smells."

Castor tried to swallow his laugh. It came out in his nose and startled Demi who dropped him.

"Ouch..." He grumbled, getting to his feet easily.

"Cats can't take baths," Demi began.

"But he smells!"

"Fine! I don't know where he is!" She nearly yelled and Galena took off with a hurt look.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The girl took off on her skateboard, painted in fire-licked patterns as she breezed down the empty street. Her browned skin meshed well with her fiery red eyes and raven hair. It would normally be long, trailing to the middle of her back but she placed them on two buns, one on each side of her head. She had two face-length, thick strands cupping her cheeks. These were dipped in red at the edges.

"Danny!" A group of boys followed her, shouting. She looked behind her, winked, and took off down a long set of stairs, using the metal bar as leverage. She knew they wouldn't follow her, they could never keep up with her.

She was gathering speed as she hit the ground hard and wheezed forward. She gave a shout behind her, seeing the group fast shrinking as she turned and spotted a rather tall woman.

'Strange..' She thought suddenly, although she couldn't quite explain just why she felt apprehensively at that exact moment. 'Something life changing..'

And she did what she always did when something like that happened. She opened her arms and hit the air, rushing forward with a grin stretched wide.

Haruka turned in the right moment to see the other girl slow down just as she hit Haruka's side. She felt the warm wind of summer ruffle her hair slightly as the other slowly trailed around her.

"You're like the wind.." The other girl said finally. "Familiar, a stranger.. you think I've met you in a past life?"

Haruka tilted her head. "My name is Tenou Haruka."

"From what, Japan, China? What part of Asia?"

"Japan."

"Name's Aidan Fay. Everyone calls me Danny."

"Why?"

"Cause I'm one of the guys," She flipped her board up, catching it. "I just breezed down those steps." She pointed to the steep, long set as Haruka merely blinked.

"Bit of a daredevil are you?" Haruka smirked. "I drive cars."

"I would but I killed my dad's car and he won't let me drive anymore," Aidan laughed. "Oh well, I'm still saving money for a good set of wheels. Someday, right?"

"Haruka?" Michiru had finally found her love, carrying a large tote of souvenirs. "Where did you go to?" She asked lightly before noting the somewhat tall girl. "Who are you?" She smiled lightly.

"Name's Aidan Fay. Call me Danny," Aidan offered a hand as Michiru took it. "Don't you worry. I don't 'like' like her, she's a kindred spirit."

Michiru smiled wider. "I know that feeling."

"Sorry to bother you, Haruka, Michiru. Just taking a ride."

"DANNY!" The same group of boys were coming fast now.

"Damn. Don't you think they'd give up? Having fans just isn't worth this publicity!" Aidan laughed. "Come on boys! You think you can catch me?"

"Taste the fire of Aries!" Aidan dropped her board with a yell. "Do me a favor? Tell the other Zodiacs I'll find them soon? I just need to catch the air one more time before I buckle down!"

And she took off, the group of five teenaged boys, at least three years or so younger than the eighteen year old girl trailing behind her at close range.

"Remember!" She shouted, looking over her shoulder. "See ya Uranus!" And she was gone from sight, as Haruka stared out toward the figure.

"Huh..." She blinked as she watched the group fly by her. "She's fun, don't you think?"

"A kindred spirit," Michiru agreed.

Aidan eventually find her way into the small town, going down toward the wharf as she spotted a green-haired girl.

"Hey!" Aidan attempted to go around but the girl turned in the last moment and they crashed with a set of yells.

"Owwie!" Kerri poked her head out, wincing. "I'm so sorry! I was distracted." For a moment, she couldn't see Aidan until there was a poke on her back. She was sitting in Aidan's lap who's hair had come undone enough to cover her shoulder in strands.

"Hi," Aidan grinned, instead of being angry.

"I'm so sorry!" Kerri jumped up and helped the other girl up. "Oh, your hair.."

"It's all right! Just lead me to a mirror and probably a brush would help, huh?"

Kerri waited outside her bathroom, trying hard to not peek in though Aidan really wasn't doing anything save making sure her hair was exactly as she had it. "So, you're Kerri, right?"

"Yep! Kerri Fisk! And you're called Danny?"

"You can call me that or Aidan. But usually my parents call me Aidan if they're mad at me."

"I like the name Aidan. Fay means fairy, right?"

"Yep!" Aidan exited the bathroom and there was a moment of silence. "So how does this start?" She asked finally.

"You should meet everyone!" Kerri answered brightly.

"Oh, well, how many are there?"

"Let's see.." Kerri began. "There's Demi, Galena, Demi's little sister, Castor, Pollux, Gami, Yale, Lila, and Karna."

She took a deep breath. "But there's also Usagi, Ami, Mina, Mako, Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, and Rei."

"Wow..." Aidan said after a big pause. "That's.. big. Enough for a party, huh?" Aidan rubbed her head lightly. "Too many people for me."

"We're just meeting the first group!" Kerri answered chipper still.

"Wonderful.. shall we go then?" She nodded and headed out, Kerri following as she shouted to her mother.

"I'll be home soon! I'm seeing my friends!"

"Be back safely!" Was her mother's response as the door swung shut.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demi looked over at Karna. She had taken to staying over nearly every night and she wanted to ask desperately what type of home life she had. But Castor's incessant, "Stay out of it, for the love of God, stay out of it!" kept echoing in her head.

Karna was getting sicker daily. Just by small doses of Ophiuchus's poisoning, she was forgetting things, becoming far more angry and violent. Galena was the only one who calmed her down and so Galena had taken to her side faithfully.

"We need Virgo," came a sudden suggest from Galena. She was fast progressing in her memories of the past, though all of them centered on individuals, not as the group. "She was our Healer."

Demi shrugged. "We don't have anything to help us find the rest of the team. It's all been by accident so far."

"But we need Virgo! For Karna and Arin!" Galena looked over at the sleeping figure. Karna moved restlessly, her eyelids twitching as a nightmare ensnared her.

"The more she falls into poison, the more trapped she is in her dead star," Galena said sadly. "If we can't reach them in time, they'll not only have no redemption but they won't return.. ever."

Demi heard the doorbell and answered it. Yale was standing with Kerri and Aidan. Yale looked mildly interested in Aidan who merely smiled widely. "Hello!" Kerri beamed. "I found it!"

"Yes you did!" Aidan agreed. "Name's Aidan Fay, call me Danny, and yes, I'm Sailor Aries! It's been a fast moving day, I'd like to keep it like that!"

Yale chuckled. "I couldn't keep up with you."

"Try and see!" Aidan winked. "Come on down to my side and we'll have some fun!"

Yale grinned but a slight blush swept momentarily over her cheekbones.

"Come in but don't go into the living room," Demi asked.

"How she doing?" Yale asked quietly.

"She's been sleeping more and more. I have trouble waking her up. It's taking Galena's constant presence just to make sure she had a reason to wake up for."

Kerri was looking around, poking into drawers, touching pictures, and seemingly ignoring the conversation.

"Kerri?" Demi asked finally.

"We need Virgo," Kerri suggested quietly, suddenly. "But Galena already suggested, right?"

"How did you.." Demi began.

"She's our leader! She's smart! She knew what was best for us!"

"I told you so!" Galena called out from the living room.

"Oh shut up!" Demi called back, good-naturedly.

Aidan gave in to curiosity, peeking into the living room. The couch was where Karna was finally awake, though still not quite all there. She approached slowly, seeing Karna watching her as the corners of her eyes.

"Libra?" Karna's voice was weak, hopeful. "Are you there?"

Aidan stilled, her eyes closing momentarily. "I'm Aries.."

"Leave me alone.. I want Libra.."

Aidan stared sadly, blinking slowly as her eyelashes caught the gathered tears, spilling them. "She's nearly gone. I don't want to see what state Libra is in."

"How did you.."

"I don't know how to best explain it but I see visions, plain and simple. Libra is most strong in my mind because she's balance. But without balance, everything is chaos." Aidan closed her eyes tightly. "I know something that's so frightening in this path we're being forced to take..."

"What?" Yale was the one to ask.

"That some of us will lose our lives in the process. But.." Aidan turned with a weak smile. "We will be saved... completely, truly saved. We were not in vain, we are a team, we are one. Death will not let us lose, we will be whole again.."

Demi was hesitant. "Do you know who?"

"No.. there are several that I cannot distinguish and honestly, I don't want to. What if I saw my own face?"

"Is Karna going to die?" Galena asked weakly. "Please.. she wants to save Libra, that's all!"

"And she will, we all will," Aidan studied her fingers. "But in order to do so, we need to know more info about our past, about our unseen enemy."

"It's Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer.." Demi began.

"But why is he after us? What do we have that he wants? Why Libra?"

The others looked at each other. "We've just been trying to survive now. We still don't know anything more save that he wants something called the Heavenly Crystal."

"Heavenly Crystal.." The group turned toward Karna. "Blessed by the Stars, once a rival for the new arrival of the Ginzuishou, it lacked something that the silver light had, a host. It was held by power by twelve soldiers but it belonged only to one true person. He thought he was the one but he isn't, he has the wrong one, he's going to kill us until he finds her."

Demi started. "You mean he thinks Arin is the holder of the crystal but he's wrong?"

"Love will make us do foolish things," Karna said absently. "To long for not just power but balance, to be whole.. we were whole.."

"He was jealous," Yale stated blandly. "He hated us because.."

"He was to be one of us.." Galena finished.

"He's the thirteenth Zodiac, a cursed star," Kerri added, startling the others. "I remember things too, you know." She retorted to the looks.

"If we all gathered together and pieced our memories together, we'll get a whole picture," Demi said slowly. "Together... it's what we wanted all along."

"DEMI!" Demi jumped as Castor jumped into the room, followed by Pollux. "We need to get down the street. Libra's causing trouble!"

"Li...bra?" Karna's eyes opened as she shot up. "LIBRA!" She screamed. She grasped her wrist, shouting. "Taurus Celestial Power, Make Up!"

She transformed into Sailor Taurus, holding her tamborines in her hands as she smashed it purposely. The sound stifled the gathered group who once recovered, found Taurus completely gone from the room.

"The window!" Demi wailed, seeing the shattered glass. "I hope it won't cost too much," She grumbled as she shouted. "Gemini Celestial Power, Make Up!"

"Cancer Celestial Power, Make Up!"

"Pisces Celestial Power, Make Up!"

"Capricorn Celestial Power, Make Up!"

"Aries Celestial Power, Make Up!" Aidan held up her wrist, the flames forming into a ram that slammed it's self into her, lighting her in fire as her fuku formed. Her symbol shone upon her brow, her choker formed a crisscrossed set, the top straps white, the bottom red, with the yellow star clasped in the center. Her collar was red but flame edged.

Her bodice had attached sleeves, the ends shaped as flames as well. Underneath her breasts was a yellow band. The breast section was divided by flames along the yellow band, the upper level white. She had a loose dress, layered twice. The upper one was white, the lower one was red. Both were also edged in flames.

Her red gloves covered two-thirds of her arms, beginning halfway down her forearm to end at the palms, the edges pulled out and shaped like flames. She had knee length red boots, high heeled slightly, with the top edges also designed in flames. She had a red heart brooch, with the sides lined by three round white gems and a yellow star in its center.

They ran down the street, finding the Sol Senshi already there. "Go away!" Capricorn shouted angrily.

"We're trying to get Taurus!" Venus shouted back.

"Stop her!" Cancer screamed loudly.

Taurus had closed in on Libra, who held her arms open with a malicious smile. She was engulfed by Taurus who was sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, Arin! I thought I could be your friend, I could protect you!"

"LIBRA, DON'T!" Aries was the next to scream.

Libra's sword shone brilliantly before catching the light, blinding the others momentarily before it suddenly dulled. Embedded in Taurus's back who returned to her civilian form, she stared blankly as Taurus collapsed. A black shard was lifted from her as Libra gently cupped it with one hand.

"One down, ten to go," She breathed. She lifted her hand to stare suddenly at her sword. Covered in hot blood, dripping down onto her hand, her eyes flashed as she gurgled, dropping it.

She turned slowly, eyes wide with fear. She stared bleakly at the shard before she let out a pain-filled scream. "KARNA!"

Almost as suddenly, her eyes went blank. Two long, gray arms wrapped around her as Ophiuchus held her almost lovingly. "Ssshush, my dark Libra. All isss well.." He looked up, his tongue lashing out. "Oh, what to do with sssuch dessspicable thingsss... failuress, all of you, failuresss..."

"Libra.." Sailor Cancer let out a sob. "LIBRA!" She began to move toward the two figures but arms pulled her back. Pollux held onto her as she protested wildly, seeing the limp figure of Karna, now lifeless.

"Two down, ten to go..." Ophiuchus's whisper echoed in their heads as he smiled thinly, disappearing in a mist.

"Karna! Karna!" Once the threat was gone, Cancer was let go as she hobbled to her friend. "Karna.. wake up? Wake up!" No amount of shaking would wake the girl up. Her heart pierced, she had died instantly. "No.. NO! We were supposed to save her! We were supposed to save them! NO!"

Cancer's sign blazed strongly as she wailed, the only way for her grief to exit. "LIBRA! TAURUS!" 


	9. Chapter 9

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Zodiac: Ethereal Stars

DISCLAIMERS

All Zodiac senshi and Zodiac cats, including families and acquaintances are copyrighted 2005 - 2007 Wild Nature. All BSSM characters, story, and all other relations to the story is copyrighted 1993 - 2006 Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fanfic and thus is NOT a part of the canon storyline but BASED upon both the anime and manga versions (mainly manga).

Chapter Nine: Letting Go

Kerri was trying to work on her work, mumbling to herself as her brother watched her apprehensively.

"When are you going to, you know, take a break?" He asked hopefully.

"Huh?" She looked up.

"You've been reading about stars for all morning. Since when do you like science?"

"It's not.. well, it is.. and it's boring.. and I can't see straight," Kerri sighed tiredly. "Oh, I don't know what I'm doing."

"Good! Come help me wash the floor?" Steven brandished a long mop.

"But I have to go!" She said suddenly, seeing the time on the clock. "Oh nuts! I'll be late!"

She ran down the stairs, her steps echoing as she breezed by her mother. "I'll be home by dinner, nightfall at latest!" She called out, her hair flitting in the slow air currents.

"Uh, Mom? Is she... getting better?"

"Well, she has something to focus on so that's what's helping her," Her mother said finally. "Come on, once you've finished the floor, you can go."

"But mom!"

Kerri got on her bike and took to the sidewalk. "Gotta hurry, gotta hurry!"

She felt the summer air, stifling. She wanted to dip into some nice, cold water but that wasn't happening today. She wondered what they'd all do together that was so important.

"We can discuss, I suppose," She muttered to herself as she found the park she had been heading to nearing rapidly. It blossomed out, into a wide, rounded flower park. There was already a group gathering.

"I don't see why we have to work with them!" Castor was whispering to Demi. He was glaring at Luna, who was resting on Usagi's shoulders. "This is so ridiculous. I am perfectly able to train you all!"

"But you haven't done a moment," Demi grasped his shirt and pulled his face to her. "Stop complaining and I'll give you a treat."

Castor was let go as a frown pressed, though he also look mildly curious. "Treat? What treat?"

"Come on!" Pollux urged. "Just lift... lift.. use those arms.. come on!" Pollux sighed noisily before moving to grasp Galena's hips.

"HEY!" Yale whacked the top of his head, making him see stars. "Get yer hands off!"

"He's helping me!" Galena began before she lost her grip. "Augh!"

"See!?" Pollux glared at Yale. "I can only use this form for so long and I'm not wasting it!"

"I'm tired.." Galena admitted, still on her back as Pollux's eyes momentarily softened.

"Not yet! We don't give up!" He plucked her up and quickly placed her on her feet, feeling Yale's glare. "Stop that, Yale.."

"You better behave," She drawled.

"Ain't you cute?" Aidan grinned at Yale. "Why don't we train together?"

"How are we supposed to train?" Delila muttered to Tategami.

"How did you all train?"

"Night time, a private lot, Rei.." Usagi said, ticking the information off her fingers. "A lot of butt kicking. Why was I always the target again?"

"You're the most popular," Rei said smartly, smirking.

"Oh shut up," Usagi glowered.

"Hello!" Kerri cried out. "Oh no!" The brake stopped too suddenly, she skidded before flying overboard with a loud yell. She landed in a bush and was seen wiggling vigorously before sticking a head out. "Sorry. I was reading and lost track of time."

"Uh...UHnnnn..." She pulled herself to get herself out but it was a failure as the bush wasn't letting her go. "I'm stuck! I can't be stuck!"

"Here," Yale smiled. "There ya go," she plucked the offending twigs and branches as Kerri nearly tripped out.

"Phew!"

"Are we all here?" Demi did a count. "It seems like we're all here. Great! What now?"

"I was hoping for a more disclosed area," Setsuna said finally. "How else will this work?"

"We don't even know what we're doing!" Castor began, agitated. "How can we 'train' anyways? Battle brings experience!"

"What about fighting, movement, defense and offense?" Makoto pointed out.

"I don't know about you but what about natural talents?" Aidan shrugged. "Let's just help those who need it."

"I think I'll take you on a spar," Haruka grinned. "See if those words mean anything."

"Oh, bring it on," Aidan kicked up her board. "I like a good race!"

"Come on already! Let's figure this out. We all got together now let's just..." Demi began.

Setsuna held up her hand as something shone brightly before the group were sucked into a misty abyss.

"Start training.." Demi finished. "Oh.. where are we?"

"In the beginning of the time stream. Specifically, at the door's entrance," Setsuna held up a hand. "Pluto Crystal Power, Make Up!"

Everyone followed suit. Castor and Pollux resumed their feline forms. "It's time to do some sleuthing. However, not all of you can go." Sailor Pluto said carefully. "While the selected are gone, the rest will train. Understand?"

"All right," Gemini crossed her arms. "So who goes?"

"Cancer, Pollux.."

"She can't go without me!" Gemini began.

"She will have to," Pluto said gently. "Aries and Pisces will also go."

"Why them?" Leo asked quietly.

"Cancer is your leader, Pollux is their support. Pisces because she does know what Cancer wants even without saying a word and Aries because she's a good defense."

"And the rest of us are, like, bad?" Dalila asked with a frown.

"You need to learn to use your attacks in moderation. Unless you're near a water source, you could kill yourself in a single step. Capricorn is a good morale and can act as a decoy target. Leo, you need to work together better, and Gemini, you need to learn to let things go."

Gemini was, indeed, holding Cancer's hand, talking adamantly to her sister. "What?"

"Let go.." Pluto suggested.

"Ok.." She stared at Pollux. "Remember, you have to watch out for her. If anything goes wrong, I'm completely blaming you.."

"Wonderful. That makes me feel so needed," Pollux glared.

"Don't worry, Polly. I'll protect you," Cancer beamed.

Sailor Pluto neared the door. "But you didn't tell us where we're going," Pisces said weakly.

"To the beginning.." She answered cryptically. "Remember to use the key when you've learned what you needed to..."

The four disappeared into the billowing mist, walking away from them. "But why can't we all go?"

"Sometimes to be whole, we must be separate. This will be a turning point for you," Sailor Pluto said quietly. "Trust in your allies. You've done it before, you still can."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cancer led the way, though Pisces held onto the now older girl. "So where do we head?" She asked finally, tugging at Cancer.

Cancer was distracted by studying her physique. 'I can't believe this is how I'll look when I'm older!'

"Cancer?" Aries interrupted next to the girl. Cancer flushed.

"I'm sorry but this just feels so weird, you know?" Cancer pulled at her collar.

"You look like a Princess," Pollux said from the ground.

"Kiss up," Aries grinned as Pollux glared at the ground as he trotted next the three.

"This door," Cancer pointed to a door looming in front of them.

"Where'd that come from?" Pisces questioned.

"Let's just go in!" Pollux demanded. He sat by the door and waited. "If you are all waiting for me to open it, that's not happening. I'm conserving my energy, thanks for the concern."

"We haven't done anything yet," Aries snorted. "And he's acting all prissy."

"I am a cat, what do you expect?" He retorted as the Time door creaked open and the small group entered.

The small landscape was cold and gray, covered in rocks that jutted out of the earth like daggers. But as they traversed further, the rocks cleared to show a sweeping landscape of sand, familiar to Cancer.

"This is my.. home world," she breathed. "Why did we come here?"

"Our headquarters," Pisces said instantly. She was stared at for a moment. "I blurted something out?" She asked finally.

"I know what's going on with you!" Cancer flipped around. "See, we all had dreams of our past selves, that beings locked deep within our planet's hearts. We come out in various ways. For me, I age. For you, you know things before realizing it because your other self tells you."

Aries was thoughtful. "So our past selves are trying to help us?"

"To undo the mess that they did!" Pisces added before looking blank. "I did it again?"

"But why did we do this? What made us turn to darkness? Why were we punished?" Cancer knelt down, feeling the sand shift in her fingers. "What is here that makes us come back?"

"Those shards.." Aries spoke carefully.

"The shards.." She turned toward Aries. "You mean, you've seen yours?"

"It is always out of reach. It is a piece of a puzzle we must all figure out. But when one of us is missing.."

"Then we must find that piece for Libra," Cancer's eyes were downcast. "She will not be lost anymore. We will save her, no matter what."

"What about Taurus?" Pollux pointed out. "Thing is, that Ophiuchus has two of the shards so we can't really get them."

"But they never had it to begin with!" Cancer protested. "We had to earn it!"

"You mean you did," Pollux coughed.

"We ALL do!" Cancer retorted, stomping her foot in a childish fashion. Aries smiled gently.

"I think that is a good point. He may have had Libra under control but she was still not complete. Nor was Taurus. Their shards are still in their worlds."

"Can we get them?" Pisces asked finally. "If they have to be earned, it's going to be really hard."

"And we still don't know why we're here!" Cancer flopped onto the ground in defeat. "I don't understand. I should know better but.."

"You're still a child," Aries knelt down. "You may have been the oldest and the leader but you aren't anymore. Not the same as you were then. Just like the rest of us are different. But we came here because your instinct led us. Keep leading us and we will find the reason of why we came to your home world."

They walked along the edge of the water, the sand continuing seemingly forever. Cancer finally stopped, looking over the endless calm of the water. "I remember.. I would watch the sea and sky meld together. The blue flushing out together until it was all the same. I would relax and feel at peace. A peace that was shattered.." Her eyes welled up. "I want to believe, I want to know that we will be able to defeat the darkness this time. We were scattered away from each other and it broke my heart. We were meant to be together.."

They stood in silence, as if waiting for her to continue. "Meant to be together.."

Her fingers tightened into a fist against her breast. "Together.. we are whole." Light billowed from her clenched fingers, the small shard gleaming. She turned toward them, her eyes wet. "We were sought after because together we possessed a power not unlike the Ginzuishou. We were a whole, those who existed before the arrival of the race of the Silver Millennium. We came from Earth, blessed by the globe to protect it. We were the once true protectors and with it, a star was born, a single one that we all could hold onto."

"I'm drawn to my home world, I channel it in my powers, dream of it. It's telling me to not forget to keep hope and light. That we can save ourselves as long as we do so."

The shard glittered and the world distorted, becoming a dead star. A voice rippled across the air. "You think of such idealistic thoughts, of a dreamer's fancy..."

From the ground, floated a white shell of a woman, hair flowing around her face, all features whitened out. She was nothing more than a ghost, a wisp that barely existed. "My dearest Cancer, I had lost that hope within. I was swallowed in my pain and suffering and I became lost. A light shone upon me and then I felt myself tear. A piece of me, still attached to my world fell away from the star within my heart."

"I am you and you are me but we are no longer the same," the pain was evident in the voice. "We call you back because we know we are incomplete. But even if you and I were one, we are still incomplete. We were born and blessed by the stars of the Zodiac together, bounded by the same fate."

Finger misted over Cancer's face. She started, realizing she had reverted back to being a child. "I won't hold onto you anymore." The ghost was saddened. "You no longer need me."

"Where will you go?" Cancer whispered.

"Home," fingers grasped the shard. "Where I can finally rest."

"We will save you..." Cancer began.

"But my dearest.." She had begun to drift away and turned in slow motion. Her features cleared as her past self, the same face she had seen in the mirror for her young life only older, looking back. Her fuku was entirely different than her new incarnation but Cancer wasn't interested in that at first. "You already saved me. You hold the last piece of Cancer in your fingers."

And the shard changed into a cool gray, multi-pointed star as it entered her brooch. A welling of power surged through the girl. "Head to Aries, Cancer. They can all be saved. Even those who seem lost.."

And the world distorted again, the Time Door once more looming in front of them. They had been placed in front of the portal hallway. Aries was the first one to move. "Guess it's my turn."

And they all followed her. The world was a land of mountains, where smoke drifted constantly from the tips. The grass was dark and narrow, keeping close the blacken earth.

"This is your home world? It looks like Greenland!" Pisces beamed.

"Greenland is made of ice," Pollux pointed out.

"Oh... well, I saw something on television that looked like this!" Pisces stated. "But on that note, why do they call it Greenland?"

Aries was ruffling the grass, her eyes refusing to look up.

"You're afraid of the mountains?" Pisces asked gently.

"Fire... isn't really my thing. I never liked it. I could never stand to watch it." Aries stood up. "Everyone has memories, right? I mean, we all remember what it was like to be discarded?"

"And then the feeling of losing everything, watching your world melt from the flames that were uncontrollable? That memory has always been the strongest. I can't stand flames, I'm so afraid I'll be burned alive again.."

They wandered, all of them following Aries as she looked around. "This world was once warm and full of life. It was so hard to settle down here, finding a suitable place because fire existed in all corners. We were never truly safe. But the challenge of it was what made me stay. To make a home of a world that no one else was willing to love. I held it close and it turned on me."

"It didn't turn on you!" Cancer protested. "It saved you!"

"Then why don't I remember that? Why do I remember searing pain, the screams of others around me?"

"Because loss is so much more stronger," a soft voice responded. Another wisp appeared, a blacken figure with white scars etched over the ghostly figure. "Memories of the nothingness, of the crying out for help and hearing nothing but your own screams. Trying to reach out to the other worlds knowing that with banishment comes ignorance. Left alone to die, it was only too late for the light to strike."

"Being shattered in half wasn't so bad," the figure's shoulders dropped. "But I lost my faith in the rest of the races, of life. What is the point of believing if no one will hear you or listen to you?"

"But you are not like that," the figure slowly straightened. Blacken eyes blinked slowly. "You open your arms with hope and trust in the future. You reach out.." Fingers drifted upward, the blackness cracking. "And you are heard. I was once forgotten and I lost everything. But hope can never be extinguished, can it Aries?"

"No," Aries' fingers melded into the wisp's own fingers. "I believe in our world, in our future. No matter what happens, we stand strong together because we are together, no matter what.."

Light started from the held fingers, the charred black skinning of as Aries' past self looked back, the same face she knew was there on her own looking at her with fire in her eyes, who also was clad in a different fuku as her incarnation yet it was similar to Sailor Cancer's past self. A shard shifted in between the two selves' hands, becoming a red multi-pointed star before being swallowed up by Aries' brooch.

"We were saved because we were loved.." Her past self offered a watery smile. "We were not forgotten." She began to drift apart. "We are the stars of the Zodiac..."

And once more the world distorted, back to the time corridor in front of yet another door.


End file.
